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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



From the Series of^ 
Canterbury Classtcsr 


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Che Canterbury Classics 


A Series of Supplementary Readers 
edited under the general supervision of 

KATHARINE LEE BATES 

Professor of English Literature in 
Welles ley College^ Wellesley, Mass. 


This edition of-^The Gold Bug'' agrees^ 
except for a few omissions which in 
no sense affect the author's meaning, 
and which have been made for peda- 
gogical reasons, with the standard 
text found in the Stedman & Wood- 
berry edition of Poe's Complete Works, 
published by Herbert S. Stone & Co. 


[ 2 ] 




Edgar Allan Poe 

From the bust by George Julian Zolnay in the Library of 
the University of Virginia 

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APB. I 1902 

O o w n m yr onwr 

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Copyright^ igo2. 

By Rand, McNally & Company 



« ••• 

« • • • 

• • • A** • 

• • • • • • 



T he series of Canterbury Classics aims to bear its share in 
acquainting school children with literature suited to their 
years. The culture of the imagination is no less impor- 
tant than the culture of memory and the reasoning power. That 
childhood is poor which has--aot for friends many of the goodly 
company represented by H^tor, Achilles, Roland, Sigurd, My 
Cid, Don Quixote, Lancelot, Robin Hood, Percy, the Douglas, 
Gulliver, Puck, Rip Van Winkle, and Alice in Wonderland. 
College class-rooms, where Dante and Spenser, Goethe and 
Coleridge are taught, speedily feel the difference between 
minds nourished, from babyhood up, on myths of Olympus 
and myths of Asgard, Hans Christian Andersen, old ballads, 
the “ Pilgrim’s Progress,” the ‘ ‘ Arabian Nights,” the “Alham- 
bra,” and minds which are still strangers to fairyland and 
hero-land and all the dreamlands of the world’s inheritance. 
Minds of this latter description come almost as barbarians to 
the study of poetry, deaf to its music and blind to its visions. 
They are in a foreign clime. In the larger college of life, no 
less, is felt the lack of an early initiation into literature. A 
practical people in a practical age, we need the grace of fable 
to balance our fact, the joy of poetry to leaven our prose. 
Something of the sort we are bound to have, and if familiarity 
in childhood with the classic tone has not armed us against 
the cheap, the flimsy, the corrupt in Action, we fall easy victims 
to the trash of the hour. We become the sport of those mock- 
ing elves who give dry leaves for gold. 

This series must needs conform somewhat, in its choice of 
books, to the present demands of the schools. It will furnish 
all good reading that is desired, but it aims also to help in 
arousing a desire for the more imaginative and inspiring legends 

[ 7 ] 


8 


Introduction to the Series 


of the Aryan race. In the case of every volume issued the text 
of the authoritative edition will be faithfully reproduced. 

These texts will be furnished with a modest amount of 
apparatus hidden away at the end of the book. It is the 
classic that is of importance. Often it may be best to disregard 
the notes. The series is addressed to children and aims to 
stimulate imagination, broaden sympathy, and awaken a love 
for literature. The editors strive to keep these aims in view 
and to avoid breaking the charm of the story by irrelevant and 
burdensome information. What is told is meant to be what a 
child would naturally like to know about the book that pleases 
him and the writer of the book. The biographical sketches 
emphasize, whenever it is appropriate, the childhood of the 
authors treated, and try throughout to give, by concrete illus- 
tration, impressions of personality and character. Special sub- 
jects sometimes call for special sketches, but, in general, the 
editorial work aims at quality rather than quantity. Knowledge 
which seems essential to intelligent reading, and which dic- 
tionary and teacher cannot reasonably be counted on to supply, 
has its place in notes, yet it is not forgotten that the notes exist 
for the sake of the literature, not the literature for the sake of 
the notes. Parents and librarians will appreciate the reading 
lists of books attractive to children, either by the author of the 
classic in hand or along the same lines of interest. Certain 
teachers, crowded and wearied with a variety of tasks, will 
welcome the section of suggestions. 

We have ventured to associate this series with the memory 
of the sweetest and most childlike spirit in English song, 
hoping that little pilgrims of to-day, journeying by April ways, 
may find as much cheer in gentle stories as did the poet of the 
Canterbury Tales. 

Katharine Lee Bates. 

Wellesley College. 





THE-TABLECF 

CONTENTS 





For convenience in assigning lessons, this short 
story has been divided into two parts, and each part 
into sections, as follows : 


Part I. The Mystery. page 

Section I. The Scarabaeus ii 

Section II. A Visit from Jupiter ... 19 

Section III. Legrand’s Demeanor ... 23 

Section IV. The Expedition 28 

Section V. The Tulip Tree 31 

Section VI. The Search for Treasure . . 37 

Section VII. The Treasure Found . . .41 

Section VIII. At Home Again 45 

Part II. The Explanation. 

Section I. The Parchment Found ... 50 

Section II. The Invisible Writing ... 54 

Section III. The Cryptograph 58 

Section IV. The Solution Begun . . . . 62 

Section V. The Cipher Read 66 

Section VI. The Solution Proved .... 70 

A Biography of Edgar Allan Poe • • • • 75 

Suggestions to Teachers 85 

Notes for Students . . . . 103 

A Reading List 106 


[9] 


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'•I 


. 


[ 70 ] 


THE GOLD BUG 

Part I. 

THE MYSTERY 

“ What ho ! what ho ! this fellow is dancing mad ! 

He hath been bitten by the Tarantula.” 

—All in the Wrong. 

I. The ScARABiEUS. 

M any years ago I contracted an intimacy 
with a Mr. William Legrand. He was of 
an ancient Huguenot family, and had 
once been wealthy; but a series of misfortunes 
had reduced him to want. To avoid the mortifi- 
cation consequent upon his disasters, he left New 
Orleans, the city of his forefathers, and took up 
his residence at Sullivan’s Island, near Charles- 
ton, South Carolina. 

This island is a very singular one. It consists 
of little else than the sea sand, and is about three 
miles long. Its breadth at no point exceeds a 
quarter of a mile. It is separated from the main- 
land by a scarcely perceptible creek, oozing its 
way through a wilderness of reeds and slime, a 
favorite resort of the marsh-hen. The vegeta- 
tion, as might be supposed, is scant, or at least 
dwarfish. No trees of any magnitude are to be 
seen. Near the western extremity, where Fort 
Moultrie stands, and where are some miserable 


5 

10 

15 

20 


12 


The Gold Bug 

25 frame buildings, tenanted during summer by the 
fugitives from Charleston dust and fever, may 
be found, indeed, the bristly palmetto; but the 
whole island, with the exception of this western 
point, and a line of hard, white beach on the sea- 
30 coast, is covered with a dense undergrowth of the 
sweet myrtle, so much prized by the horticultur- 
ists of England. The shrub here often attains 
the height of fifteen or twenty feet, and forms an 
almost impenetrable coppice, burdening the air 
35 with its fragrance. 

In the inmost recesses of this coppice, not far 
from the eastern or more remote end of the 
island, Legrand had built himself a small hut, 
which he occupied when I first, by mere accident, 
40 made his acquaintance. This soon ripened into 
friendship — for there was much in the recluse 
to excite interest and esteem. I found him well 
educated, with unusual powers of mind, but 
infected with misanthropy, and subject to per- 
45 verse moods of alternate enthusiasm and melan- 
choly. He had with him many books, but rarely 
employed them. His chief amusements were 
gunning and fishing, or sauntering along the 
beach and through the myrtles, in quest of shells 
50 or entomological specimens ; — his collection of 
the latter might have been envied by a Swam- 
merdamm. In these . excursions he was usually 
accompanied by an old negro, called Jupiter, who 
had been manumitted before the reverses of 
55 the family, but who could be induced, neither 


The Gold Bug 


13 


by threats nor by promises, to abandon what he 
considered his right of attendance upon the foot- 
steps of his young “Massa Will.” It is not im- 
probable that the relatives of Legrand, conceiving 
him to be somewhat unsettled in intellect, had 
contrived to instill this obstinacy into Jupiter, 
with a view to the supervision and guardianship 
of the wanderer. 

The winters in the latitude of Sullivan’s Island 
are seldom very severe, and in the fall of the year 
it is a rare event indeed when a fire is considered 
necessary. About the middle of October, 18 — , 
there occurred, however, a day of remarkable 
chilliness. Just before sunset I scrambled my 
way through the evergreens to the hut of my 
friend, whom I had not visited for several weeks 
— my residence being at that time in Charleston, 
a distance of nine miles from the island,' while 
the facilities of passage and re-passage were very 
far behind those of the present day. Upon reach- 
ing the hut I rapped, as was my custom, and get- 
ting no reply, sought for the key where I knew 
it was secreted, unlocked the door and went in. 
A fine fire was blazing upon the hearth. It was 
a novelty, and by no means an ungrateful one. 
I threw off an overcoat, took an arm-chair by the 
crackling logs, and awaited patiently the arrival 
of my hosts. 

Soon ^fter dark they arrived, and gave me a 
most cordial welcome. Jupiter, grinning from 
ear to ear, bustled about to prepare some marsh- 


60 

65 

70 

75 

80 

85 




The Gold Bug 


hens for supper. Legrand was in one of his fits 
— how else shall I term them? — of enthusiasm. 
He had found an unknown bivalve, forming a 
90 new genus, and, more than this, he had hunted 
down and secured, with Jupiter’s assistance, a 
scarabcBus which he believed to be totally new, but 
in respect to which he wished to have my opinion 
on the morrow. 

95 “And why not to-night?” I asked, rubbing my 
hands over the blaze. 

“Ah, if I had only known you were here!” 
said Legrand, “but it’s so long since I saw you; 
and how could I foresee that you would pay me 
100 a visit this very night of all others ? As I was 

coming home I met Lieutenant G , from the 

fort, and, very foolishly, I^lent him the bug; so 
it will be impossible for you to see it until the 
morning. Stay here to-night, and I will send 
105 Jup down for it at sunrise. It is the loveliest 
thing in creation ! ” 

“ What — sunrise ? ” 

“ Nonsense ! no ! — the bug. It is of a brilliant 
gold color — about the size of a large hickory-nut 
no — with two jet black spots near one extremity of 
the back, and another, somewhat longer, at the 

other. antenncB ” 

“ Dey aint no tin in him, Massa Will, I keep a 
tellin on you,” here interrupted Jupiter; “de bug 
115 is a goole-bug, solid, ebery bit of him, inside and 
all, sep him wing — neber feel half so hebby a 
bug in my life.” 


15 


The Gold Bug 

'‘Well, suppose it is, Jup,” replied Legrand, 
somewhat more earnestly, it seemed to me, than 
the case demanded, “is that any reason for your 
letting the birds burn? The color” — here he 
turned to me — “ is really almost enough to war- 
rant Jupiter’s idea. You never saw a more bril- 
liant metallic lustre than the scales emit— but of 
this you cannot judge till to-morrow. In the 
meantime I can give you some idea of the shape.” 
Saying this, he seated himself at a small table, 
on which were a pen and ink, but no paper. He 
looked for some in a drawer, but found none. 

“Never mind,” said he at length, “this will 
answer;” and he drew from his waistcoat pocket 
a scrap of what I took to be very dirty foolscap, 
and made upon it a rough drawing with the pen.” 
While he did this, I retained my seat by the fire, 
for I was still chilly. When the design was com- 
plete, he handed it to me without rising. As I 
received it, a low growl was heard, succeeded by 
a scratching at the door. Jupiter opened it, and 
a large Newfoundland, belonging to Legrand, 
rushed in, leaped upon my shoulders, and loaded 
me with caresses; for I had shown him much 
attention during previous visits. When his gam- 
bols were over, I looked at the paper, and, to 
speak the truth, found myself not a little puzzled 
at what my friend had depicted. 

“Well!” I said, after contemplating it for 
some minutes, “ this is a strange scarabceusy I must 
confess ; new to me ; never saw anything like it 


120 

125 

130 

135 

140 

145 



This is a strange scarabceus^ J must confess 


The Gold Bug ly 

before — unless it was a skull, or a death’s-head, 
which it more nearly resembles than anything 
else that has come under my observation.” 

“A death’s-head!” echoed Legrand. “Oh — 
yes — well, it has something of that appearance 
upon paper, no doubt. The two upper black 
spots look like eyes, eh? and the longer one at 
the bottom like a mouth — and then the shape of 
the whole is oval.” 

“Perhaps so,” said I; “but, Legrand, I fear 
you are no artist. I must wait until I see the 
beetle itself, if I am to form any idea of its per- 
sonal appearance.” 

“Well, I don’t know,” said he, a little nettled ; 
“I draw tolerably — should do it at least — have 
had good masters, and flatter myself that I am 
not quite a blockhead.” 

“ But, my dear fellow, you are joking then,” 
said I; “this is a very passable skull , — indeed, I 
may say that it is a very excellent skull, according 
to the vulgar notions about such specimens of 
physiology — and your scarabceus must be the 
queerest scarabceus in the world if it resembles it. 
Why, we may get up a very thrilling bit of super- 
stition upon this hint. I presume you will call 
the bug scarabceus caput hommis, or something of 
that kind — there are many similar titles in the 
Natural Histories. But where are the antennce 
you spoke of?” 

“The antennceT' said Legrand, who seemed to 
be getting unaccountably warm upon the subject; 

2 


150 

155 

160 

165 

170 

175 


i8 


The Gold Bug 

180 “I am sure you must see the antenncB. I made 
them as distinct as they are in the original insect, 
and I presume that is sufficient.” 

“Well, well,” I said, “perhaps you have — still 
I don’t see them ; ” and I handed him the paper 
185 without additional remark, not wishing to ruffle 
his temper ; but I was much surprised at the turn 
affairs had taken; his ill-humor puzzled me — 
and, as for the drawing of the beetle, there were 
positively no antennce visible, and the whole did 
190 bear a very close resemblance to the ordinary 
cuts of a death’s-head. 

He received the paper very peevishly, and was 
about to crumple it, apparently to throw it in the 
fire, when a casual glance at the design seemed 
195 suddenly to rivet his attention. In an instant his 
face grew violently red — in another as exces- 
sively pale. For some minutes he continued to 
scrutinize the drawing minutely where he sat. 
At length he arose, took a candle from the table, 
200 and proceeded to seat himself upon a sea-chest 
in the farthest corner of the room. Here again 
he made an anxious examination of the paper; 
turning it in all directions. He said nothing, 
however, and his conduct greatly astonished me ; 
205 yet I thought it prudent not to exacerbate the 
growing moodiness of his temper by any com- 
ment. Presently he took from his coat pocket 
a wallet, placed the paper carefully in it, and 
deposited both in a writing-desk, wtiich he locked. 
210 He now grew more composed in his demeanor ; 


19 


The Gold Bug 

but his original air of enthusiasm had quite dis- 
appeared. Yet he seemed not so much sulky as 
abstracted. As the evening wore away he be- 
came more and more absorbed in revery, from 
which no sallies of mine could arouse him. It 
had been my intention to pass the night at the 
hut, as I had frequently done before, but, seeing 
my host in this mood, I deemed it proper to take 
leave. He did not press me to remain, but, as I 
departed, he shook my hand with even more than 
his usual cordiality. 

II. A Visit from Jupiter. 

It was about a month after this (and during 
the interval I had seen nothing of Legrand) when 
I received a visit, at Charleston, from his man, 
Jupiter. I had never seen the good old negro 
look so dispirited, and I feared that some serious 
disaster had befallen my friend. 

“Well, Jup,” said I, “what is the matter now? 
— how is your master?” 

“Why, to speak de troof, massa, him not so 
berry well as mought be.” 

“Not well ! I am truly sorry to hear it. What 
does he complain of ? ” 

“ Dar ! dat’s it ! — him nebber plain of notin — 
but him berry sick for all dat.” 

'‘’‘Very sick, Jupiter! — why didn’t you say so at 
once ? Is he confined to bed ? ” 

“No, dat he aint ! — he aint find nowhar — dat’s 


215 

220 

225 

230 

235 


20 


The Gold Bug 


240 just whar de shoe pinch — my mind is got to be 
berry hebby bout poor Massa Will.” 

“Jupiter, I should like to understand what it 
is you are talking about. You say your master is 
sick. Hasn’t he told you what ails him?” 

245 “ Why, massa, taint worf while for to git mad 

about de matter — Massa Will say noffin at all 
aint de matter wid him — but den what make him 
go about looking dis here way, wid he head down 
and he soldiers up, and as white as a gose ? And 

250 den he keep a syphon all de time ” 

“ Keeps a what, Jupiter ? ” 

“ Keeps a syphon wid de figgurs on de slate — 
de queerest figgurs I ebber did see. Ise gittin to 
be skeered, I tell you. Hab for to keep mighty 
255 tight eye pon him noovers. Todder day he gib 
me slip fore de sun up, and was gone de whole ob 
de blessed day. I had a big stick ready cut for to 
gib him good beating when he did come — but Ise 
sich a fool dat I hadn’t de heart arter all — he 
260 look so berry poorly.” 

“Eh? — what? — ah, yes! — upon the whole I 
think you had better not be too severe with the 
poor fellow — don’t flog him, Jupiter — he can’t 
very well stand it — but can you form no idea of 
265 what has occasioned this illness, or rather this 
change of conduct? Has anything unpleasant 
happened since I saw you ? ” 

“ No, massa, dey aint bin noffin onpleasant 
since den — ’twas fore den I’m feared — ’twas de 
270 berry day you was dare.” 


21 


The Gold Bug 

* How ? what do you mean ? ” 

“ Why, massa, I mean de bug — dare now.” 

“ The what ? ” 

“ De bug — I’m berry sartain dat Massa Will 
bin bit somewhere bout de head by dat goole-bug.” 

“And what cause have you, Jupiter, for such a 
supposition? ” 

“ Claws enuff, massa, and mouff too. I nebber 
did see sich a bug — he kick and he bite ebery 
ting what cum near him. Massa Will cotch him 
fuss, but had for to let him go gin mighty quick, 
I tell you — den was de time he must ha got de 
bite. I didn’t like de look ob de bug mouff, my- 
self, no how, so I wouldn’t take hold ob him wid 
my finger, but I cotch him wid a piece ob paper 
dat I found. I rap him up in de paper and stuff 
piece ob it in he mouff — dat was de way.” 

“ And you think, then, that your master was 
really bitten by the beetle, and that the bite made 
him sick ? ” 

“ I don’t tink noffin about it — I nose it. What 
make him dream bout de goole so much, if taint 
cause he bit by de goole-bug? Ise heerd bout 
dem goole-bugs fore dis.” 

“ But how do you know he dreams about gold ?” 

“ How I know ? why, cause he talk about it in 
he sleep — dat’s how I nose.” 

“ Well, Jup, perhaps you are right ; but to what 
fortunate circumstance am I to attribute the 
honor of a visit from you to-day? ” 

“ What de matter, massa ? ” 


275 

. 280 

■ 285 

290 

295 

300 


22 The Gold Bug 

“ Did you bring any message from Mr. Le- 
grand ? ” . 

“No, massa, I bring dis here pissel ; ” and here 
305 Jupiter handed me a note which ran thus : 

“ My Dear , 

“ Why have I not seen you for so long a time ? 
I hope you have not been so foolish as to take 
offense at any little brusquerie of mine ; but no, 
310 that is improbable. 

“Since I saw you I have had great cause for 
anxiety. I have something to tell you, yet 
scarcely know how to tell it, or whether I should 
tell it at all. 

315 have not been quite well for some days 

past, and poor old Jup annoys me, almost beyond 
endurance, by his well-meant attentions. Would 
you believe it? — he had prepared a huge stick, 
the other day, with which to chastise me for 
320 giving him the slip, and spending the day, solus, 
among the hills on the mainland. I verily believe 
that my ill looks alone saved me a flogging. 

“ I have made no addition to my cabinet since 
we met. 

325 “If you can, in any way, make it convenient, 
come over with Jupiter. Do come. I wish to 
see you to-night, upon business of importance. I 
assure you that it is of the highest importance. 

“ Ever yours, 

330 “William Legrand.” 

There was something in the tone of this note 
which gave me great uneasiness. Its whole style 
differed materially from that of Legrand. What 
could he be dreaming of ? What new crotchet 
335 possessed his excitable brain? What “business 


23 


The Gold Bug 

of the highest importance ” could he possibly have 
to transact? Jupiter’s account of him boded no 
good. I dreaded lest the continued pressure of 
misfortune had, at length, fairly unsettled the 
reason of my friend. Without a moment’s hesi- 
tation, therefore, I prepared to accompany the 
negro. 

Upon reaching the wharf, I noticed a scythe 
and three spades, all apparently new, lying in the 
bottom of the boat in which we were to embark. 

“What is the meaning of all this, Jup?” I 
inquired. 

“ Him syfe, massa, and spade.” 

“ Very true ; but what are they doing here ? ” 

“ Him de syfe and de spade what Massa Will 
sis pon my buying for him in de town, and de 
debbil’s own lot of money I had to gib for em.” 

“But what, in the name of all that is myste- 
rious, is your ‘Massa Will’ going to do with 
scythes and spades ? ” 

“ Dat’s more dan / know, and I blieve ’tis m6re 
dan he know, too. But it’s all cum ob de bug.” 

HI. Legrand’s Demeanor. 

Finding that no satisfaction was to be obtained 
of Jupiter, whose whole intellect seemed to be 
absorbed by “de bug,” I now stepped into the 
boat and made sail. With a fair and strong 
breeze we soon ran into the little cove to the 
northward of Fort Moultrie, and a walk of some 


340 

345 

350 

355 

360 


2^ The Gold Bug 

365 two miles brought us to the hut. It was about 
three in the afternoon when we arrived. Legrand 
had been awaiting us in eager expectation. He 
grasped my hand with a nervous empressement 
which alarmed me and strengthened the suspi- 
370 cions already entertained. His countenance was 
pale even to ghastliness, and his deep-set eyes 
glared with unnatural lustre. After some inqui- 
ries respecting his health, I asked him, not know- 
ing what better to say, if he had yet obtained the 
375 scarabcBus from Lieutenant G . 

'‘Oh, yes,'’ he replied, coloring violently, “I 
got it from him the next morning. Nothing 
should tempt me to part with that scarabceus. Do 
you know that Jupiter is quite right about it ! ” 

380 ^Hn what way ? ” I asked, with a sad foreboding 
at heart. 

“In supposing it to be a bug of real gold." He 
said this with an air of profound seriousness, and 
I felt inexpressibly shocked. 

885 “This bug is to make my fortune,” he con- 
tinued, with a triumphant smile, “ to reinstate me 
in my family possessions. Is it any wonder, then, 
that I prize it ? Since Fortune has thought fit to 
bestow it upon me, I have only to use it properly 
390 and I shall arrive at the gold of which it is the 
index. Jupiter, bring me that scarabceus !" 

“What! de bug, massa? I’d rudder not go fer 
trubble dat bug — you mus git him for your own 
self.” Hereupon Legrand arose, with a grave 
395 and stately air, and brought me the beetle from 


25 


The Gold Bug 

a glass case in which it was enclosed. It was a 
beautiful scarabceus, and, at that time, unknown to 
naturalists — of course a great prize in a scientific 
point of view. There were two round black spots 
near one extremity of the back, and a long one 
near the other. The scales were exceedingly 
hard and glossy, with all the appearance of bur- 
nished gold. The weight of the insect was very 
remarkable, and, taking all things into consider- 
ation, I could hardly blame Jupiter for his ^opin- 
ion respecting it ; but what to make of Legrand’s 
agreement with that opinion, I could not, for the 
life of me, tell. 

I sent for you,” said he, in a grandiloquent 
tone, when I had completed my examination of 
the beetle, “ I sent for you, that I might have 
your counsel and assistance in furthering the 

views of Fate and of the bug ” 

'‘My dear Legrand,” I cried, interrupting him, 
“you are certainly unwell, and had better use 
some little precautions. You shall go to bed, and 
I will remain with you a few days, until you get 

over this. You are feverish and ” 

“ Feel my pulse,” said he. 

I felt it, and, to say the truth, found not the 
slightest indication of fever. 

“But you may be ill, and yet have no fever. 
Allow me this once to prescribe for you. In the 

first place, go to bed. In the next ” 

“You are mistaken,” he interposed; “I am as 
well as I can expect to be under the excitement 


400 

405 

410 

415 

420 

425 


26 


The Gold Bug 


which I suffer. If you really wish me well, you 
will relieve this excitement.” 

'^And how is this to be done ? ” 

430 “Very easily. Jupiter and myself are going 
upon an expedition into the hills, upon the main- 
land, and, in this expedition, we shall need the aid 
of some person in whom we can confide. You are 
the only one we can trust. Whether we succeed 
435 or fail, the excitement which you now perceive in 
me will be equally allayed.” 

“I am anxious to oblige you in any way,” I 
replied; “but do you mean to say that this infer- 
nal beetle has any connection with your expedi- 
44otion into the hills?” 

“It has.” 

“ Then, Legrand, I can become a party to no 
such absurd proceeding.” 

“ I am sorry — very sorry — for we shall have to 
445 try it by ourselves.” 

“ Try it by yourselves ! The man is surely 
mad ! — but stay — how long do you propose to be 
absent?” 

“Probably all night. We shall start immedi- 
45oately, and be back, at all events, by sunrise.” 

“And will you promise me, upon your honor, 
that when this freak of yours is over, and the bug 
business settled to your satisfaction, you will then 
return home and follow my advice implicitly, as 
455 that of your physician? ” 

“ Yes, I promise ; and now let us be off, for we 
have no time to lose.” 



^^With a heavy heart I accompanied my friend''^ 

[27] 


28 


The Gold Bug 


IV. The Expedition. 

With a heavy heart I accompanied my friend. 
460 We started about four o’clock — Legrand, Jupi- 
ter, the dog, and myself. Jupiter had with him 
the scythe and spades — the whole of which he 
insisted upon carrying, more through fear, it 
seemed to me, of trusting either of the imple- 
465 ments within reach of his master, than from 
any excess of industry or complaisance. His de- 
meanor was dogged in the extreme, and ‘‘dat 
deuced bug” were the sole words which escaped 
his lips during the journey. For my own part, I 
470 had charge of a couple of dark lanterns, while 
Legrand contented himself with the scarabceus^ 
which he carried attached to the end of a bit of 
whip-cord, twirling it to and fro, with the air of a 
con j uror, as he went. When I observed this last, 
475 plain evidence of my friend’s aberration of mind, 
I could scarcely refrain from tears. I thought it 
best, however, to humor his fancy, at least for the 
present, or until I could adopt some more ener- 
getic measures with a chance of success. In the 
480 meantime I endeavored, but all in vain, to sound 
him in regard to the object of the expedition. 
Having succeeded in inducing me to accompany 
him, he seemed unwilling to hold conversation 
upon any topic of minor importance, and to all 
485 my questions vouchsafed no other reply than 
“We shall see ! ” 

We crossed the creek at the head of the island 


29 


The Gold Bug 

by means of a skiff, and, ascending the high 
grounds on the shore of the mainland, proceeded 
in a north-westerly direction, through a tract of 
country excessively wild and desolate, where no 
trace of a human footstep was to be seen. Le- 
grand led the way with decision; pausing only 
for an instant, here and there, to consult what 
appeared to be certain landmarks of his own con- 
trivance upon a former occasion. 

In this manner we journeyed for about two 
hours, and the sun was just setting when we 
entered a region infinitely more dreary than any 
yet seen. It was a species of table-land, near the 
summit of an almost inaccessible hill, densely 
wooded from base to pinnacle, and interspersed 
with huge crags that appeared to lie loosely upon 
the soil, and in many cases were prevented from 
precipitating themselves into the valleys below 
merely by the support of the trees against which 
they reclined. Deep ravines, in various directions, 
gave an air of still sterner solemnity to the scene. 

The natural platform to which we had clam- 
bered was thickly overgrown with brambles, 
through which we soon discovered that it would 
have been impossible to force our way but for the 
scythe; and Jupiter, by direction of his master, 
proceeded to clear for us a path to the foot of an 
enormously tall tulip tree, which stood, with some 
eight or ten oaks, upon the level, and far sur- 
passed them all, and all other trees which I had 
then ever seen, in the beauty of its foliage and 


490 

495 

500 

505 

510 

515 


JO 


The Gold Bug 


form, in the wide spread of its branches, and in 
520 the general majesty of its appearance. When we 
reached this tree, Legrand turned to Jupiter, and 
asked him if he thought he could climb it. The 
old man seemed a little staggered by the ques- 
tion, and for some moments made no reply. At 
525 length he approached the huge trunk, walked 
slowly around it, and examined it with minute 
attention. When he had completed his scrutiny, 
he merely said : 

** Yes, massa, Jup climb any tree he ebber see 
530 in he life.” 

'‘Then up with you as soon as possible, for 
it will soon be too dark to see what we are 
about.” 

“ How far mus go up, massa? ” inquired Jupiter. 
535 ‘‘ Get up the main trunk first, and then I will 

tell you which way to go — and here — stop ! take 
this beetle with you.” 

“De bug, Massa Will! — de goole-bug!” cried 
the negro, drawing back in dismay — “what for 
540 mus tote de bug way up de tree ? ” 

“ If you are afraid, Jup, a great big negro like 
you, to take hold of a harmless little dead beetle, 
why, you can carry it up by this string — but, if 
you do not take it up with you in some way, I 
545. shall be under the necessity of ” 

“What de matter now, massa?” said Jup; evi- 
dently shamed into compliance; “always want 
for to raise fuss wid old nigger. Was only funnin 
anyhow. Me feered de bug ! what I keer for de 




The Gold Bug 

bug?” Here he took cautiously hold of the 
extreme end of the string, and, maintaining the 
insect as far from his person as circumstances 
would permit, prepared to ascend the tree. 

V. The Tulip Tree. 

In youth, the tulip tree, or Liriodendron tulip- 
ifera, the most magnificent of American foresters, 
has a trunk peculiarly smooth, and often rises to 
a great height without lateral branches; but, 
in its riper age, the bark becomes gnarled and 
uneven, while many short limbs make their 
appearance on the stem. Thus the difficulty of 
ascension, in the present case, lay more in sem- 
blance than in reality. Embracing the huge 
cylinder, as closely as possible, with his arms and 
knees, seizing with his hands sonie projections, 
and resting his naked toes upon others, Jupiter, 
after one or two narrow escapes from falling, at 
length wriggled himself into the first great fork, 
and seemed to consider the whole business as 
virtually accomplished. The risk of the achieve- 
ment was, in fact, now over, although the climber 
was some sixty or seventy feet from the ground. 

Which way mus go now, Massa Will?” he 
asked. 

“Keep up the largest branch, — the one on 
this side,” said Legrand. The negro obeyed him 
promptly, and apparently with but little trouble ; 
ascending higher and higher, until no glimpse of 


550 

555 

560 

565 

570 

575 


32 


The Gold Bug 


his squat figure could be obtained through the 
580 dense foliage which enveloped it. Presently his 
voice was heard in a sort of halloo. 

How much f udder is got for go ? ” 

“How high up are you?” asked Legrand. 

“ Ebber so fur,” replied the negro ; “ can see de 
585 sky fru de top ob de tree.” 

“ Never mind the sky, but attend to what I say. 
Look down the trunk and count the limbs below 
you on this side. How many limbs have you 
passed ? ” 

590 “One, two, three, four, fibe — I done pass fibe 
big limb, massa, pon dis side.” 

“Then go one limb higher.” 

In a few minutes the voice was heard again, 
announcing that the seventh limb was attained. 

595 “Now, Jup,” cried Legrand, evidently much 
excited, “ I want you to work your way out upon 
that limb as far as you can. If you see anything 
strange, let me know.” 

By this time what little doubt I might have 
600 entertained of my poor friend’s insanity was put 
finally at rest. I had no alternative but to con- 
clude him stricken with lunacy, and I became 
seriously anxious about getting him home. While 
I was pondering upon what was best to be done, 
605 Jupiter’s voice was again heard. 

“ Mos feerd for to ventur pon dis limb berry 
far — ’tis dead limb putty much all de way.” 

“ Did you say it was a dead limb, Jupiter ?” cried 
Legrand, in a quavering voice. 


33 


The Gold Bug 

'‘ Yes, massa, him dead as de door-nail — done 
up for sartin — done departed dis here life.” 

"What in the name of heaven shall I do?” 
asked Legrand, seemingly in the greatest dis- 
tress. 

"Do!” said I, glad of an opportunity to inter- 
pose a word, "why, come home and go to bed. 
Come now! — that’s a fine fellow. It’s getting 
late, and, besides, you remember your promise.” 

"Jupiter,” cried he, without heeding me in the 
least, " do you hear me? ” 

“Yes, Massa Will, hear you ebber so plain.” 

"Try the wood well, then, with your knife, 
and see if you think it very rotten.” 

" Him rotten, massa, sure nuff,” replied the 
negro in a few moments, " but not so berry rotten 
as mought be. Mought ventur out leetle way pon 
de limb by myself, dat’s true.”’ 

" By yourself ! — What do you mean? ” 

" Why, I mean de bug. ’Tis berry hebby 
bug. Spose I drop him down fuss, and den 
de limb won’t break wid just de weight ob one 
nigger.” 

"You scoundrel!” cried Legrand, apparently 
much relieved, "what do you mean by telling 
me such nonsense as that ? As sure as you drop 

that beetle I’ll Look here, Jupiter! do you 

hear me?” 

“ Yes, massa, needn’t hollo at poor nigger dat 
style.” 

“Well! now listen! — if you will venture out 

3 


; 610 

. 615 

620 

625 

630 

635 

640 



'■'‘Lor-a-marcy ! what is dis here pon de tree?" 


^,0 


The Gold Bug J5 

on the limb as far as you think safe, and not let 
go the beetle, I’ll make you a present of a silver 
dollar as soon as you get down.” 

“I’m gwine, Massa Will — deed I is,” replied 
the negro very promptly — “mos out to the eend 
now.” 

Out to the end!'' here fairly screamed Le- 
grand ; “ do you say you are out to the end of that 
limb?” 

“ Soon be to de eend, massa, — o-o-o-o-oh ! Lor- 
a-marcy ! what is dis here pon de tree? ” 

“Well!” cried Legrand, highly delighted, 
“what is it?” 

“Why, taint noffin but a skull — somebody bin 
lef him head up de tree, and de crows done gob- 
ble ebery bit ob de meat off.” 

“A skull, you say! — very well! — how is it 
fastened to the limb? — what holds it on ? ” 

“ Sure nuff, massa ; mus look. Why, dis berry 
curous sarcumstance, pon my word — dare’s a 
great big nail in de skull, what fastens ob it on to 
de tree.” 

“Well now, Jupiter, do exactly as J tell you — 
do you hear? ” 

“Yes, massa.” 

“ Pay attention, then ! — find the left eye of the 
skull.” 

“ Hum ! hoo ! dat’s good ! why, dar aint no eye 
lef at all.” 

“Stupid! do you know your right hand from 
your left?” 


645 

650 

655 

660 

665 

670 


The Gold Bug 


36 


“Yes, I nose dat — all bout dat — ’tis my lef 
hand what I chops de wood wid.” 

“ To be sure ! you are left-handed ; and your left 
675 eye is on the same side as your left hand. Now, I 
suppose, you can find the left eye of the skull, or 
the place where the left eye has been. Have you 
found it?” 

Here was a long pause. At length the negro 
680 asked : 

“ Is de lef eye ob de skull pon de same side as 
de lef hand of de skull, too? cause de skull ain’t 
got not a bit ob a hand at all — nebber mind! I 
got de lef eye now — here de lef eye! what mus do 
685 wid it? ” 

“ Let the beetle drop through it, as far as the 
string will reach — but be careful and not let 
go your hold of the string.” 

“All dat done, Massa Will; mighty easy ting 
690 for to put de bug fru de hole — look out for 
him dar below!” 

During this colloquy no portion of Jupiter’s 
person could be seen ; but the beetle, which he had 
suffered to descend, was now visible at the end of 
695 the string, and glistened, like a globe of burnished 
gold, in the last rays of the setting sun, some 
of which still faintly illumined the eminence upon 
which we stood. The scarabceus hung quite clear 
of any branches, and, if allowed to fall, would have 
700 fallen at our feet. Legrand immediately took the 
scythe, and cleared with it a circular space, three 
or four yards in diameter, just beneath the insect, 


\ 


The Gold Bug 


37 


and, having accomplished this, ordered Jupiter 
to let go the string and come down from the 
tree. - 705 

VI. The Search for Treasure. 

Driving a peg, with great nicety, into the 
ground, at the precise spot where the beetle fell, 
my friend now produced from his pocket a tape- 
measure. Fastening one end of this at that point 710 
of the trunk of the tree which was nearest the peg, 
he unrolled it till it reached the peg, and thence 
further unrolled it, in the direction already estab- 
lished by the two points of the tree and the 
peg, for the distance of fifty feet — Jupiter clear- 715 
ing away the brambles with the scythe. At the 
spot thus attained a second peg was driven, and 
about this, as a center, a rude circle, about four 
feet in diameter, described. Taking now a spade 
himself, and giving one to Jupiter and one to 720 
me, Legrand begged us to set about digging as 
quickly as possible. 

To speak the truth, I had no especial relish for 
such amusement at any time, and, at that partic- 
ular moment, would most vrillingly have declined 725 
it ; for the night was coming on, and I felt much 
fatigued with the exercise already taken; but I 
saw no mode of escape, and was fearful of disturb- 
ing my poor friend’s equanimity by a refusal. 
Could I have depended, indeed, upon Jupiter’s aid, 730 
I would have had no hesitation in attempting to 
get the lunatic home by force ; but I was too well 


The Gold Bug 


38 

assured of the old negro’s disposition to hope that 
he would assist me, under any circumstances, in a 
735 personal contest with his master. I made no 
doubt that the latter had been infected with some 
of the innumerable Southern superstitions about 
money buried, and that his fantasy had received 
confirmation by the finding of the scarahceus, or, 
740 perhaps, by Jupiter’s obstinacy in maintaining it 
to be ‘a bug of real gold.’ A mind disposed to 
lunacy would readily be led away by such sugges- 
tions, especially if chiming in with favorite precon- 
ceived ideas ; and then I called to mind the poor 
745 fellow’s speech about the beetle’s being “ the index 
of his fortune.” Upon the whole, I was sadly 
vexed and puzzled, but at length I concluded to 
make a virtue of necessity — to dig with a good 
will, and thus the sooner convince the visionary, 
750 by ocular demonstration, of the fallacy of the 
opinions he entertained. 

The lanterns having been lit, we all fell to work 
with a zeal worthy a more rational cause ; and, as 
the glare fell upon our persons and implements, I 
755 could not help thinking how picturesque a group 
we composed, and how strange and suspicious our 
labors must have appeared to any interloper who, 
by chance, might have stumbled upon our where- 
abouts. 

760 We dug very steadily for two hours. Little 
was said ; and our chief embarrassment lay in the 
yelpings of the dog, who took exceeding interest 
in our proceedings. He at length became so 






The Gold Bug 


obstreperous, that we grew fearful of his giving 
765 the alarm to some stragglers in the vicinity ; or, 
rather, this was the apprehension of Legrand ; for 
myself, I should have rejoiced at any interruption 
which might have enabled me to get the wan- 
derer home. The noise was, at length, very effect- 
770 ually silenced by Jupiter, who, getting out of the 
hole with a dogged air of deliberation, tied the 
brute’s mouth up with one of his suspenders, 
and then returned, with a grave chuckle, to his 
task. 

775 When the time mentioned had expired, we had 
reached a depth of five feet, and yet no signs of 
any treasure became manifest. A general pause 
ensued, and I began to hope that the farce was at 
an end. Legrand, however, although evidently 
780 much disconcerted, wiped his brow thoughtfully 
and recommenced. We had excavated the entire 
circle of four feet diameter, and now we slightly 
enlarged the limit, and went to the further depth 
of two feet. Still nothing appeared. The gold- 
785 seeker, whom I sincerely pitied, at length clam- 
bered from the pit, with the bitterest disappoint- 
ment imprinted upon every feature, and proceeded, 
slowly and reluctantly, to put on his coat, which 
he had thrown off at the beginning of his labor. 
790 In the meantime I made no remark. Jupiter, at 
a signal from his master, began to gather up his 
tools. This done, and the dog having been 
unmuzzled, we turned in profound silence towards 
home. 


The Gold Bug 


4-1 


VII. The Treasure Found. ws 

We had taken, perhaps, a dozen steps in this 
direction, when, with a loud oath, Legrand strode 
up to Jupiter, and seized him by the collar. The 
astonished negro opened his eyes and mouth to 
the fullest extent, let fall the spades, and fell soo 
upon his knees. 

“You scoundrel,” said Legrand, hissing out the 
syllables from between his clenched teeth, “you 
infernal black villain! — speak, I tell you! — answer 
me this instant, without prevarication! — which sos 
— which is your left eye? ” 

“Oh, my, Massa Will! aint dis here my lef eye 
for sartain?” roared the terrified Jupiter, placing 
his hand upon his right organ of vision, and hold- 
ing it there with a desperate pertinacity, as if in sio 
immediate dread of his master’s attempt at a 
gouge. 

“ I thought so ! — I knew it ! hurrah ! ” vocifer- 
ated Legrand, letting the negro go, and executing 
a series of curvets and caracoles, much to thesis 
astonishment of his valet, who, arising from his 
knees, looked mutely from his master to myself, 
and then from myself to his master. 

“ Come ! we must go back,” said the latter, “ the 
game’s not up yet ; ” and he again led the way to 820 
the tulip-tree. 

“Jupiter,” said he, when he reached its foot, 

“ come here ! was the skull nailed to the limb with 
the face outward, or with the face to the limb?” 


42 


The Gold Bug 


825 “ De face was out, massa, so dat de crows could 

get at de eyes good, widout any trouble/’ 

“Well, then, was it this eye or that through 
which you dropped the beetle?” — here Legrand 
touched each of Jupiter’s eyes. 

830 ’Twas dis eye, massa — de lef eye — jis as you 
tell me,” and here it was his right eye that the 
negro indicated. 

“That will do — we must try it again.” 

Here my friend, about whose madness I now 
835 saw, or fancied that I saw, certain indications of 
method, removed the peg which marked the spot 
where the beetle fell, to a spot about three inches 
to the westward of its former position. Taking, 
now, the tape-measure from the nearest point of 
840 the trunk to the peg, as before, and continuing 
the extension in a straight line to the distance of 
fifty feet, a spot was indicated, removed by several 
yards, from the point at which we had been dig- 
ging. 

845 Around the new position a circle, somewhat 
larger than in the former instance, was now de- 
scribed, and we again set to work with the spades. I 
was dreadfully weary, but, scarcely understanding 
what had occasioned the change in my thoughts, 
850 1 felt no longer any great aversion from the labor 
imposed. I had become most unaccountably in- 
terested — nay, even excited. Perhaps there was 
something, amid all the extravagant demeanor 
of Legrand — some air of forethought, or of delib- 
855 eration, which impressed me. I dug eagerly, and 


4-3 


The Gold Bug 

now and then caught myself actually looking, 
with something that very much resembled expec- 
tation, for the fancied treasure, the vision of which 
had demented my unfortunate companion. At a 
period when such vagaries of thought most fully seo 
possessed me, and when we had been at work 
perhaps an hour and a half, we were again inter- 
rupted by the violent bowlings of the dog. His 
uneasiness, in the first instance, had been evi- 
dently but the result of playfulness or caprice, but ses 
he now assumed a bitter and serious tone. Upon 
Jupiter’s again attempting to muzzle him, he 
made furious resistance, and leaping into the hole, 
tore up the mould frantically with his claws. In 
a few seconds he had uncovered a mass of human 870 
bones, forming two complete skeletons, inter- 
mingled with several buttons of metal, and what 
appeared to be the dust of decayed woolen. One 
or two strokes of a spade upturned the blade of a 
large Spanish knife, and, as we dug further, three 875 
or four loose pieces of gold and silver coin came 
to light. 

At the sight of these the joy of Jupiter could 
scarcely be restrained, but the countenance of his 
master wore an air of extreme disappointment. 880 
He urged us, however, to continue our exertions, 
and the words were hardly uttered when I stum- 
bled and fell forward, having caught the toe of 
my boot in a large ring of iron that lay half-buried 
in the loose earth. sss 

We now worked in earnest, and never did I pass 


u 


The Gold Bug 


ten minutes of more intense excitement. During 
this interval we had fairly unearthed an oblong 
chest of wood, which, from its perfect preserva- 
890 tion and wonderful hardness, had plainly been sub- 
jected to some mineralizing process — perhaps that 
of the bichloride of mercury. This box was three 
feet and a half long, three feet broad, and two and 
a half feet deep. It was firmly secured by bands 
895 of wrought iron, riveted, and forming a kind of 
trellis-work over the whole. On each side of the 
chest, near the top, were three rings of iron — six 
in all — by means of which a firm hold could 
be obtained by six persons. Our utmost united 
900 endeavors served only to disturb the coffer very 
slightly in its bed. We at once saw the impossi- 
bility of removing so great a weight. Luckily,^ 
the sole fastenings of the lid consisted of two slid- 
ing bolts. These we drew back — trembling and 
905 panting with anxiety. In an instant a treasure of 
incalculable value lay gleaming before us. As 
the rays of the lanterns fell within the pit, there 
flashed upwards, from a confused heap of gold 
and of jewels,, a glow and a glare that absolutely 
910 dazzled our eyes. 

I shall not pretend to describe the feelings with 
which I gazed. - Amazement was, of course, pre- 
dominant. Legrand appeared exhausted with 
excitement, and spoke very few words. Jupiter’s 
915 countenance wore, for some minutes, as deadly a 
pallor as it is possible, in the nature of things, for 
any negro’s visage to assume. He seemed stupe- 


4-5 


The Gold Bug 

fied — thunder-stricken. Presently he fell upon 
his knees in the pit, and, burying his naked arms 
up to the elbows in gold, let them there remain, as 
if enjoying the luxury of a bath. At length, with 
a deep sigh, he exclaimed, as if in a soliloquy : 

“And dis all cum of de goole-bug! de putty 
goole-bug ! de poor little goole-bug, what I boosed 
in dat sabage kind ob style ! Aint you ashamed 
ob yourself, nigger? — answer me dat!” 

VIII. At Home Again. 

It became necessary, at last, that I should arouse 
both niaster and valet to the expediency of re- 
moving the treasure. It was growing late, and it 
behooved us to make exertion, that we might get 
everything housed before daylight. It was difficult 
to say what should be done, and much time was 
spent in deliberation — so confused were the ideas 
of all. We finally lightened the box by removing 
two-thirds of its contents, when we were enabled, 
with some trouble, to raise it from the hole. The 
articles taken out were deposited among the bram- 
bles, and the dog left to guard them, with strict 
orders from Jupiter neither, upon any pretense, to 
stir from the spot, nor to open his mouth until 
our return. We then hurriedly made for home 
with the chest; reaching the hut in safety, but 
after excessive toil, at one o’clock in the morning. 
Worn out as we were, it was not in human nature 
to do more just now. We rested until two, and 


920 

925 

930 

935 

940 

945 


The Gold Bug 


46 

had supper, starting for the hills immediately 
afterwards, armed with three stout sacks, which 
by good luck were upon the premises. A little 
950 before four we arrived at the pit, divided the 
remainder of the booty, as equally as might be, 
among us,- and, leaving the holes unfilled, again 
set out for the hut, at which, for the second time, 
w^ deposited our golden burdens, just as the first 
955 streaks of the dawn gleamed from over the tree- 
tops in the east. 

We were now thoroughly broken down ; but the 
intense excitement of the time denied us repose. 
After an unquiet slumber of some three or four 
960 hours’ duration, we arose, as if by preconcert, to 
make examination of our treasure. 

The chest had been full to the brim, and we 
spent the whole day, and the greater part of the 
next night, in a scrutiny of its contents. There 
965 had been nothing like order or arrangement. 
Everything had been heaped in promiscuously. 
Having assorted all with care, we found our- 
selves possessed of even vaster wealth than we had 
at first supposed. In coin there was rather more 
970 than four hundred and fifty thousand dollars; 
estimating the value of the pieces, as accurately as 
we could, by the tables of the period. There was 
not a particle of silver. All was gold of antique 
date and of great variety: French, Spanish, and 
975 German money, with a few English guineas, and 
some counters, of which we had never seen speci- 
mens before. There were several very large and 



found ourselves possessed of even vaster wealth than we 
had at first supposed” 

UT\ 




/J.8 The Gold Bug 

heavy coins, so worn that we could make nothing 
of their inscriptions. There was no American 
980 money. The value of the jewels we found more 
difficulty in estimating. There were diamonds — 
some of them exceedingly large and fine — a hun- 
dred and ten in all, and not one of them small ; 
eighteen rubies of remarkable brilliancy; three 
985 hundred and ten emeralds, all very beautiful, and 
twenty-one sapphires, with an opal. These stones 
had all been broken from their settings and thrown 
loose in the chest. The settings themselves, which 
we picked out from among the other gold, ap- 
99opeared to have been beaten up with hammers, 
as if to prevent identification. Besides all this, 
there was a vast quantity of solid gold ornaments : 
nearly two hundred massive finger and ear rings ; 
rich chains — thirty of these, if I remember ; 
995 eighty-three very large and heavy crucifixes ; five 
gold censers of great value ; a prodigious golden 
punch-bowl, ornamented with richly chased vine- 
leaves and Bacchanalian figures ; with two sword 
handles exquisitely embossed, and many other 
1000 smaller articles which I cannot recollect. The 
weight of these valuables exceeded three hundred 
and fifty pounds avoirdupois ; and in this estimate 
I have not included one hundred and ninety-seven 
superb gold watches ; three of the number being 
1005 worth each five hundred dollars, if one. Many of 
them were very old, and as time-keepers valueless, 
the works having suffered more or less from corro- 
sion, but all were richly jeweled and in cases of 


The Gold Bug 


49 


great worth. We estimated the entire contents of 
the chest, that night, at a million and a half ofioio 
dollars ; and upon the subsequent disposal of the 
trinkets and jewels (a few being retained for our 
own use), it was found that we had greatly under- 
valued the treasure. 



The Gold Bug 


4 


Part IL 


THE EXPLANATION 

I. The Parchment Found. 

loisT T THEN, at length, we had concluded our 
\ \ examination, and the intense excitement 
of the time had in some measure subsided, 
Legrand, who saw that I was dying with impa- 
tience for a solution of this most extraordinary 
1020 riddle, entered into a full detail of all the circum- 
stances connected with it. 

‘‘You remember,” said he, “the night when I 
handed you the rough sketch I had made of the 
scarabmis. You recollect, also, that I became quite 
1025 vexed at you for insisting that my drawing re- 
sembled a death’s-head. When you first made 
this assertion I thought you were jesting; but 
afterwards I called to mind the peculiar spots on 
the back of the insect, and admitted to myself 
1030 that your remark had some little foundation in 
fact. Still, the sneer at my graphic powers irri- 
tated me — for I am considered a good artist — 
and, therefore, when you handed me the scrap of 
parchment, I was about to crumple it up and 
1035 throw it angrily into the fire.” 

“The scrap of paper you mean,” said I. 

“No: it had much of the appearance of paper, 
and at first I supposed it to be such, but when I 

[JO] 


51 


The Gold Bug 

came to draw upon it, I discovered it, at once, to 
be a piece of very thin parchment. It was quite io4o 
dirty, you remember. Well, as I was in the very 
act of crumpling it up, my glance fell upon the 
sketch at which you had been looking, and you 
may imagine my astonishment when I perceived, 
in fact, the figure of a death’s-head just where, it 1045 
seemed to me, I had made the drawing of the 
beetle. For a moment I was too much amazed 
to think with accuracy. I knew that my design 
was very different in detail from this — although 
there was a certain similarity in general outline. 1050 
Presently I took a candle and, seating myself at 
the other end of the room, proceeded to scrutinize 
the parchment more closely. Upon turning it 
over, I saw my own sketch upon the reverse, just 
as I had made it. My first idea, now, was mere 1055 
surprise at the really remarkable similarity of 
outline — at the singular coincidence involved in 
the fact that, unknown to me, there should have 
been a skull upon the other side of the parch- 
ment, immediately beneath my figure of the scar a- im 
bceusy and that this skull, not only in outline, but 
in size, should so closely resemble my drawing. 

I say the singularity of this coincidence absolutely 
stupefied me for a time. This is the usual effect 
of such coincidences. The mind struggles toioes 
establish a connection — a sequence of cause and 
effect — and, being unable to do so, suffers a 
species of temporary paralysis. But, when I re- 
covered from this stupor, there dawned upon me 


5 ^ 


The Gold Bug 


1070 gradually a conviction which startled me even far 
more than the coincidence. I began distinctly, 
positively, to remember that there had been no 
drawing on the parchment when I made my 
sketch of the scarabceus, I became perfectly cer- 
1075 tain of this ; for I recollected turning up first one 
side and then the other, in search of the cleanest 
spot. Had the skull been then there, of course, I 
could not have failed to notice it. Here was indeed 
a mystery which I felt it impossible to explain; 
1080 but, even at that early moment, there seemed to 
glimmer, faintly, within the most remote and 
secret chambers of my intellect, a glow- worm-like 
conception of that truth which last night’s adven- 
ture brought to so magnificent a demonstration. 
1085 1 arose at once, and, putting the parchment 
securely away, dismissed all farther reflection 
until I should be alone. 

“When you had gone, and when Jupiter was 
fast asleep, I betook myself to a more methodical 
1090 investigation of the affair. In the first 'place I 
considered the manner in which the parchment 
had come into my possession. The spot where 
we discovered the scarabceus was on the coast of 
the main-land, about a mile eastward of the island, 
1095 and but a short distance above high-water mark. 
Upon my taking hold of it, it gave me a sharp 
bite, which caused me to let it drop. Jupiter, 
with his accustomed caution, before seizing the 
insect, which had flown towards him, looked about 
1100 him for a leaf, or something of that nature, by 


SJ 


The Gold Bug 

which to take hold of it. It was at this moment 
that his eyes, and mine also, fell upon the scrap 
of parchment, which I then supposed to be paper. 

It was lying half-buried in the sand, a corner 
sticking up. Near the spot where we found nos 
it, I observed the remnants of the hull of what 
appeared to have been a ship’s long boat. The 
wreck seemed to have been there for a very great 
while ; for the resemblance to boat timbers could 
scarcely be traced. nio 

“Well, Jupiter picked up the parchment, 
wrapped the beetle in it, and gave it to me. Soon 
afterwards we turned to go home, and on the way 

met Lieutenant G . I showed him the insect, 

and he begged me to let him take it to the fort, ms 
On my consenting, he thrust it forthwith into his 
waistcoat pocket, without the parchment in which 
it had been wrapped, and which I had continued 
to hold in my hand during his inspection. Per- 
haps he dreaded my changing my mind, and 1120 
thought it best to make sure of the prize at once 
— you know how enthusiastic he is on all subjects 
connected with Natural History. At the same 
time, without being conscious of it, I must have 
deposited the parchment in my own pocket. 1125 
“You remember that when I went to the table, 
for the purpose of making a sketch of the beetle, 

I found no paper where it was usually kept. I 
looked in the drawer, and found none there. I 
searched my pockets, hoping to find an old letter, nso 
when my hand fell upon the parchment. I thus 


54 


The Gold Bug 


detail the precise mode in which it came into my 
possession ; for the circumstances impressed me 
with peculiar force. 

1135 11. The Invisible Writing. 

“No doubt you will think me fanciful — but 
I had already established a kind of connection. 
I had put together two links of a great chain. 
There was a boat lying upon a sea-coast, and not 
1140 far from the boat was a parchment — not a paper — 
with a skull depicted on it. You will, of course, 
ask ‘ Where is the connection ? ’ I reply that the 
skull, or death’s-head, is the well-known emblem 
of the pirate. The flag of the death’s-head is 
1145 hoisted in all engagements. 

“ I have said that the scrap was parchment, and 
not paper. Parchment is durable — almost imper- 
ishable. Matters of little moment are rarely con- 
signed to parchment ; since, for the mere ordinary 
1150 purposes of drawing or writing, it is not nearly so 
well adapted as paper. This reflection suggested 
some meaning — some relevancy — in the death’s- 
head. I did not fail to observe, also, the form 
of the parchment. Although one of its corners 
1155 had been by some accident destroyed, it could 
be seen that the original form was oblong. It 
was just such a slip, indeed, as might have been 
chosen for a memorandum — for a record of 
something to be long remembered and carefully 
1160 preserved.” 


The Gold Bug 


55 

“But,” I interposed, “you say that the skull 
was not upon the parchment when you made the 
drawing of the beetle. How then do you trace 
any connection between the boat and the skull — 
since this latter, according to your own admis-nes 
sion, must have been designed (God only knows 
how or by whom) at some period subsequent to 
your sketching the scarabceus ? ” 

“ Ah, hereupon turns the whole mystery ; 
although the secret, at this point, I had compara- ino 
tively little difficulty in solving. My steps were 
sure and could afford but a single result. I 
reasoned, for example, thus: When I drew the 
scarabceus^ there was no skull apparent on the 
parchment. When I had completed the drawing ins 
I gave it to you, and observed you narrowly until 
you returned it. You, therefore, did not design 
the skull, and no one else was present to do it. 
Then it was not done by human agency. And 
nevertheless it was done. nso 

“ At this stage of my reflections I endeavored 
to remember, and did remember, with entire dis- 
tinctness, every incident which occurred about 
the period in question. The weather was chilly 
(O rare and happy accident !), and a fire was blaz- nss 
ing on the hearth. I was heated with exercise . 
and sat near the table. You, however, had drawn 
a chair close to the chimney. Just as I placed 
the parchment in your hand, and you were in 
the act of inspecting it. Wolf, the Newfoundland, ii9o 
entered, and leaped upon your shoulders. With 




The Gold Bug 


your left hand you caressed him and kept him 
off, while your right, holding the parchment, was 
permitted to fall listlessly between your knees, 
1195 and in close proximity to the fire. At one 
moment I thought the blaze had caught it, and 
was about to caution you, 'but, before I could 
speak, you had withdrawn it, and were engaged 
in its examination. When I considered all these 
1200 particulars, I doubted not for a moment that heat 
had been the agent in bringing to light, on the 
parchment, the skull which I saw designed on it. 
You are well aware that chemical preparations 
exist, and have existed time out of mind, by 
1205 means of which it is possible to write on either 
paper or vellum, so that the characters shall be- 
come visible only when subjected to the action 
of fire. Zaffre, digested in aqua regia, and diluted 
with four times its weight of water, is some- 
1210 times employed ; a green tint results. The regu- 
lus of cobalt, dissolved in spirit of nitre, gives a 
red. These colors disappear at longer or shorter 
intervals after the material written upon cools, 
but again become apparent upon the reapplica- 
1215 tion of heat. 

“ I now scrutinized the death’s-head with care. 
Its outer edges — the edges of the drawing near- 
est the edge of the vellum — were far more dis- 
tinct than the others. It was clear that the action 
1220 of the caloric had been imperfect or unequal. I 
immediately kindled a fire, and subjected every 
portion of the parchment to a glowing heat. At 


The Gold Bug 


57 


first, the only effect was the strengthening of the 
faint lines in the skull; but, on persevering in 
the experiment, there became visible, at the 1225 
corner, of the slip, diagonally opposite to the spot 
in which the death’s-head was delineated, the 
figure of what I at first supposed to be a goat. 

A closer scrutiny, however, satisfied me that it 
was intended for a kid.” 1230 

“ Ha ! ha ! ” said I, “ to be sure I have no right 
to laugh at you — a million and a half of money 
is too serious a matter for mirth — but you are not 
about to establish a third link in your chain : you 
will not find any especial connection between 1235 
your pirates and a goat ; pirates, you know, have 
nothing to do with goats ; they appertain to the 
farming interest.” 

“ But I have just said that the figure was not 
that of a goat.” 1240 

“Well, a kid, then — pretty much the same 
thing.” 

“ Pretty much, but not altogether,” said Le- 
grand. “You may have heard of one Captain 
Kidd. I at once looked upon the figure of the 1245 
animal as a kind of punning or hieroglyphical 
signature. I say signature, because its position 
upon the vellum suggested this idea. The death’s- 
head at the corner diagonally opposite had, in the 
same manner, the air of a stamp, or seal. But 1 1250 
was sorely put out by the absence of all else — of 
the body to my imagined instrument — of the 
text for my context,” 




The Gold Bug 


“ I presume you expected to find a letter ‘ 
1255 between the stamp and the signature.” 

^‘Something of that kind. The fact is, I felt 
irresistibly impressed with a presentiment of some 
vast good fortune impending. I can scarcely say 
why. Perhaps, after all, it was rather a desire 
1260 than an actual belief ; — but do you know that 
Jupiter’s silly words, about the bug being of solid 
gold, had a remarkable effect on my fancy ? And 
then the series of accidents and coincidences — 
these were so very extraordinary. Do you observe 
1265 how mere an accident it was that these events 
should have occurred on the sole day of all the 
year in which it has been, or may be, sufficiently 
cool for fire, and that without the fire, or without 
the intervention of the dog at the precise moment 
1270 in which he appeared, I should never have be- 
come aware of the death’s-head, and so never the 
possessor of the treasure ? ” 

“ But proceed — I am all impatience.” 

III. The Cryptograph. 

1275 “Well; you have heard, of course, the many 
stories current — the thousand vague rumors 
afloat about money buried, somewhere on the 
Atlantic coast, by Kidd and his associates. These 
rumors must have had some foundation in fact. 
1280 And that the rumors have existed so long and 
so continuously could have resulted, it appeared 
to me, only from the circumstance of the buried 


The Gold Bug 5p 

treasure still remaining entombed. Had Kidd 
concealed his plunder for a time, and afterwards 
reclaimed it, the rumors would scarcely haveisss 
reached us in their present unvarying form. You 
will observe that the stories told are all^ about 
money-seekers, not about money-finders. ” Had 
the pirate recovered his money, there the affair 
would have dropped. It seemed to me that some 1290 
accident — say the loss of a memorandum indi- 
cating its locality — had deprived him of the 
means of recovering it, and that this accident 
had become known to his followers, who other- 
wise might never have heard that treasure had 1295 
been concealed at all, and who, busying them- 
selves in vain, because unguided, attempts to 
regain it, had given first birth, and then universal 
currency, to the reports which are now so com- 
mon. Have you ever heard of any important isoo 
treasure being unearthed along the coast?” 

“ Never.” 

“ But that Kidd’s accumulations were immense 
is well known. I took it for granted, therefore, 
that the earth still held them; and you will isos 
scarcely be surprised when I tell you that I felt 
a hope, nearly amounting to certainty, that the 
parchment so strangely found involved a lost 
record of the place of deposit.” 

“ But how did yoti proceed ? ” isio 

“I held the vellum again to the fire, after 
increasing the heat, but nothing appeared. I now 
thought it possible that the coating of dirt might 


6o 


The Gold Bug 

have something to do with the failure ; so I care- 
1315 fully rinsed the parchment by pouring warm water 
over it, and, having done this, I placed it in a tin 
pan, with the skull downwards, and put the pan 
upon a furnace of lighted charcoal. In a few min- 
utes, the pan having become thoroughly heated, 
1320 1 removed the slip, and, to my inexpressible joy, 
found it spotted, in several places, with what 
appeared to be figures arranged in lines. Again 
I placed it in the pan, and suffered it to remain 
another minute. Upon taking it off, the whole 
1325 was just as you see it now.’’ 

Here Legrand, having reheated the parchment, 
submitted it to my inspection. The following 
characters were rudely traced, in a red tint, be- 
tween the death’s-head and the goat : 

1330 53ttt305))6*;4826)4.)4);8o6*;48t8t6o))85;;]8*;4 

^8t83(88)5n;46(;88*96^?;8)*K;485);5n2:4(;4956M 

5*— 4)8Tf 8*;4o69285);)6t8)44; I (^914808 1 ;8:8i I ;48t85 
;4)485t5288o6*8i(t9;48;(88;4(5:?34;48)4t;i6i;:i88;P; 

“ But,” said I, returning him the slip, “ I am as 
1335 much in the dark as ever. Were all the jewels of 
Golconda awaiting me upon my solution of this 
enigma, I am quite sure that I should be unable to 
earn them.” 

“And yet,” said Legrand, “the solution is by 
1340 no means so difficult as you might be led to 
imagine from the first hasty inspection of the 
characters. These characters, as anyone might 
readily guess, form a cipher — that is to say, they 
convey a meaning : but then, from what is known 


6i 


The Gold Bug 

of. Kidd, I could not suppose him capable of con- 1345 
structing any of the more abstruse cryptographs. 

I made up my mind, at once, that this was of a 
simple species — such, however, as would appear 
to the crude intellect of the sailor, absolutely 
insoluble without the key.” 1350 

“And you really solved it?” 

“ Readily ; I have solved others of an abstruse- 
ness ten thousand times greater. Circumstances, 
and a certain bias of mind, have led me to take 
interest in such riddles, and it may well be doubted 1355 
whether human ingenuity can construct an enigma 
of the kind which human ingenuity may not, by 
proper application, resolve. In fact, having once 
established connected and legible characters, I 
scarcely gave a thought to the mere difficulty of i 36 o 
developing their import. 

“In the present case — indeed in all cases of 
secret writing — the first question regards the 
language of the cipher ; for the principles of solu- 
tion, so far, especially as the more simple ciphers 1335 
are concerned, depend on, and are varied by, the 
genius of the particular idiom. In general, there 
is no alternative but experiment (directed by 
probabilities) of every tongue known to him 
who attempts the solution, until the true one be 1370 
attained. But with the cipher now before us, all 
difficulty is removed by the signature. The pun 
upon the word ‘ Kidd ’ is appreciable in no other 
language than the English. But for this consider- 
ation I should have begun my attempts with the 1375 


62 


The Gold Bug 


Spanish and French, as the tongues in which a 
secret of this kind would most naturally have been 
written by a pirate of the Spanish main. As it 
was, I assumed the cryptograph to be English. 


1380 IV. The Solution Begun. 


“You observe there are no divisions between 
the words. Had there been divisions, the task 
would have been comparatively easy. In such 
case I should have commenced with a collation 
1385 and analysis of the shorter words, and, had a 
word of a single letter occurred, as is most likely 
{a or /, for example), I should have considered 
the solution as assured. But, there being no 
division, my first step was to ascertain the pre- 
1390 dominant letters, as well as the least frequent. 
Counting all, I constructed a table thus : 

“Of the character 8 there are 33 
; “ 26 

4 “ 19 

1395 “ 16 

* u 

5 “ 12 

6 “ II 


1400 


( 

t I 
o 
92 

t 

]-• 


jn— Not given by Poe, 
^ but found in the 

8 cryptograph, and 

6 inserted to make 

the table complete. 

5 

4 

3 

2 


1405 


The Gold Bug 6 j 

“ Now, in English, the letter which most fre- 
quently occurs is e. Afterwards, the succession 
runs thus : aoid h nr stuyc f g Imwbkpqxz, 

E predominates, however, so remarkably that an mo 
individual sentence of any length is rarely seen 
in which it is not the prevailing character. 

‘‘ Here, then, we have, in the very beginning, 
the groundwork for something more than a mere 
guess. The general use which may be made of ms 
the table is obvious — but, in this particular 
cipher, we shall only very partially require its 
aid. As our predominant character is 8, we 
will commence by assuming it as the e of the 
natural alphabet. To verify the supposition, let 1420 
us observe if the 8 be seen often in couples — for 
e is doubled with great frequency in English — in 
such words, for example, as ‘meet,’ ‘ fleet,’ ‘ speed,’ 

‘ seen,’ ‘been,’ ‘ agree,’ etc. In the present instance 
we see it doubled no less than five times, although 1425 
the cryptograph is brief. 

“ Let us assume 8, then, as e. Now, of all 
words in the language, ‘ the ’ is most usual ; let 
us see, therefore, whether there are not repeti- 
tions of any three characters in the same order 1430 
of collocation, the last of them being 8. If we 
discover repetitions of such letters, so arranged, 
they will most probably represent the word ‘ the.’ 
On inspection, we find no less than seven such 
arrangements, the characters being 148. We may, 1435 
therefore, assume that the semicolon represents t, 
that 4 represents h, and that 8 represents e — the 


6 /f The Gold Bug 

last being now well confirmed. Thus a great step 
has been taken. 

1440 But, having established a single word, we are 
enabled to establish a vastly important point ; that 
is to say, several commencements and termina- 
tions of other words. Let us refer, for example, 
to the last instance but one, in which the combi- 
1445 nation ;48 occurs — not far from the end of the 
cipher. We know that the semicolon immediately 
ensuing is the commencement of a word, and, 
of the six characters succeeding this 'the,’ we 
are cognizant of no less than five. Let us set 
1450 these characters down thus, by the letters we 
know them to represent, leaving a space for the 
unknown — 

t eeth. 

“ Here we are enabled at once to discard the 
1455 7 >^,’ as forming no portion of the word commenc- 
ing with the first t; since, by experiment of the 
entire alphabet for a letter adapted to the vacancy, 
we perceive that no word can be formed of which 
this th can be a part. We are thus narrowed 
1460 into 

t ee, 

and, going through the alphabet, if necessary, as ’ 
before, we arrive at the word ‘tree,’ as the sole 
possible reading. We thus gain another letter, r, 
1465 represented by (, with the words ‘the tree’ in 
juxtaposition. 

“ Looking beyond these words, for a short dis- 
tance, we again see the combination ;48, and 


The Gold Bug 


65 


employ it by way of termination to what immedi- 
ately precedes. We have thus this arrangement : 1470 
the tree ;4(t?34 the, 

or, substituting the natural letters, where known, 
it reads thus : 

the tree thr:j;?3h the. 

“Now, if, in place of the unknown characters, 1475 
we leave blank spaces, or substitute dots, we read 
thus : 

the tree thr...h the, 

when the word 'throtigh' makes itself evident at 
once. But this discovery gives us three new let- i 48 o 
ters, o, u, and g, represented by :j; ? and 3. 

“ Looking now, narrowly, through the cipher 
for combinations of known characters, we find, 
not very far from the beginning, this arrange- 
ment : 1485 

83(88, or egree, 

which, plainly, is the conclusion of the word 
‘degree,’ and gives us another letter, repre- 
sented by f. 

“Four letters beyond the word ‘degree,’ we 1490 
perceive the combination, 

;46(;88*. 

“ Translating the known characters, and repre- 
senting the unknown by dots, as before, we read 
thus : 1495 

th.rtee, 

an arrangement immediately suggestive of the 
word ‘ thirteen,’ and again furnishing us with 
5 


66 The Gold Bug 

two new characters, i and represented by 6 
1500 and *. 

“ Referring, now, to the beginning of the cryp- 
tograph, we find the combination 

53ttt- 

“ Translating, as before, we obtain 
1505 . good, 

which assures us that the first letter is A and that 
the first two words are ‘A good.’ 


V. The Cipher Read. 


“ To avoid confusion, it is now time that we 
1510 arrange our key, as far as discovered, in a tabular 
form. It will stand thus : 


5 represents a 
t “ d 
8 “ e 



“We have, therefore, no less than ten of the 
most important letters represented, and it will be 
unnecessary to proceed with the details of the 
1525 solution. I have said enough to convince you 
that ciphers of this nature are readily soluble, and 
to give you some insight into the rationale of 
their development. But be assured that the 


The Gold Bug 6 y 

specimen before ns appertains to the very sim- 
plest species of cryptograph. It now only remains 1530 
to give yon the fnll translation of the characters 
npon the parchment, as nnriddled. Here it is : 

“ good glass m the bishop's hostel in the devil's 
seat twenty-one degrees and thirteen minutes north- 
east arid by north main branch seventh limb east side 1535 
shoot from the left eye of the death! s-he ad a bee-line 
from the tree through the shot fifty feet out! " 

“Bnt,” said I, “the enigma seems still in as 
bad a condition as ever. How is it possible to 
extort a meaning from all this jargon abonti 54 o 
‘devil’s seats,’ ‘death’s-heads,’ and ‘bishop’s 
hotels’?” 

“I confess,” replied Legrand, “that the matter 
still wears a serions aspect, when regarded with a 
casnal glance. My first endeavor was to divide 1545 
the sentence into the natnral division intended by 
the cryptographist.” 

“Yon mean, to pnnctnate it?” 

“Something of that kind.” 

“ Bnt how was it possible to effect this ? ” 1550 

“ I reflected that it had been a point with the 
writer to rnn his words together withont division, 
so as to increase the difhcnlty of solntion. Now, 
a not over-acnte man, in pnrsning snch an object, 
wonld be nearly certain to overdo the matter. 1555 
When, in the conrse of his composition, he arrived 
at a break in his snbject which wonld natnrally 
reqnire a panse, or a point, he wonld be exceed- 
ingly apt to rnn his characters, at this place, more 


68 


The Gold Bug 


1560 than usually close together. If you will observe 
the MS., in the present instance, you will easily 
detect five such cases of unusual crowding. Act- 
ing on this hint, I made the division thus : 

^ A good glass in the Bishop' s hostel m the Devil's 
1565 seat — twenty-one degrees and thirteen minutes — 
north-east and by north — main branch seveyith limb 
east side — shoot from the left eye of the deatli s-head 
— a bee-line from the tree throtigh the shot fifty feet 
out: " 

1570 “Even this division,” said I, “leaves me still 
in the dark.” 

“It left me also in the dark,” replied Legrand, 
“for a few days; during which I made diligent 
inquiry, in the neighborhood of Sullivan’s Island, 
1575 for any building which went by the name of the 
‘Bishop’s Hotel’; for, of course, I dropped the 
obsolete word ‘hostel.’ Gaining no information 
on the subject, I was on the point of extending 
my sphere of search, and proceeding in a more 
1580 systematic manner, when one morning, it entered 
into my head, quite suddenly, that this ‘ Bishop’s 
Hostel ’ might have some reference to an old 
family, of the name of Bessop, which, time out of 
mind, had held possession of an ancient manor- 
1585 house, about four miles to the northward of the 
Island. I accordingly went over to the plantation, 
and re-instituted my inquiries among the older 
negroes of the place. At length one of the most 
aged of the women said that she had heard of such 
1590 a place as Bessop' s Castle, and thought that she 


The Gold Bug 6 p 

could guide me to it, but that it was not a castle, 
nor a tavern, but a high rock. 

“ I offered to pay her well for her trouble, and, 
after some demur, she consented to accompany me 
to the spot. We found it without much difficulty, 1595 
when, dismissing her, I proceeded to examine the 
place. The ‘ castle ’ consisted of an irregular 
assemblage of cliffs and rocks — one of the latter 
being quite remarkable for its height as well as 
for its insulated and artificial appearance. I clam- leoo 
bered to its apex, and then felt much at a loss as 
to what should be next done. 

“ While I was busied in reflection, my eyes fell 
on a narrow ledge in the eastern face of the rock, 
perhaps a yard below the summit upon which I leos 
stood. This ledge projected about eighteen inches, 
and was not more than a foot wide, while a niche 
in the cliff just above it gave it a rude resemblance 
to one of the hollow-backed chairs used by our 
ancestors. I made no doubt that here was theieio 
‘devil’s seat’ alluded to in the MS., and now I 
seemed to grasp the full secret of the riddle. 

“ The ‘ good glass,’ I knew, could have reference 
to nothing but a telescope; for the word ‘glass’ 
is rarely employed in any other sense by seamen, leis 
Now here, I at once saw, was a telescope to be 
used, and a definite point of view, admitting no 
variation, from which to use it. Nor did I hesitate 
to believe that the phrases, ‘twenty-one degrees 
aifd thirteen minutes,’ and ‘north-east and byi62o 
north,’ were intended as directions for the leveling 


The Gold Bug 


70 

of the glass. Greatly excited by these discoveries, 
I hurried home, procured a telescope, and returned 
to the rock. 

1625 VI. The Solution Proved. 

I let myself down to the ledge, and found that 
it was impossible to retain a seat upon it except 
in one particular position. This fact confirmed 
my preconceived idea. I proceeded to use the 
1630 glass. Of course, the ‘twenty-one degrees and 
thirteen minutes’ could allude to nothing but 
elevation above the visible horizon, since the hori- 
zontal direction was clearly indicated by the words, 
‘north-east and by north.’ This latter direction I 
1635 at once established by means of a pocket compass ; 
then, pointing the glass as nearly at an angle of 
twenty-one degrees of elevation as I could do it by 
guess, I moved it cautiously up or down, until my 
attention was arrested by a circular rift or open- 
1640 ing in the foliage of a large tree that overtopped 
its fellows in the distance. In the centre of this 
rift I perceived a white spot, but could not, at first, 
distinguish what it was. Adjusting the focus of 
the telescope, I again looked, and now made it 
1645 out to be a human skull. 

“ On this discovery I was so sanguine as to con- 
sider the enigma solved ; for the phrase, ‘ main 
branch, seventh limb, east side,’ could refer only 
to the position of the skull on the tree, while 
1650 ‘ shoot from the left eye of the death’s-head ’ 
admitted, also, of but one interpretation, in regard 



“/ proceeded to use the glass" 

[7/] 


72 


The Gold Bug 


to a search for buried treasure. I perceived that 
the design was to drop a bullet from the left eye 
of the skull, and that a bee-line, or, in other words, 
1655 a straight line, drawn from the nearest point of the 
trunk through ‘ the shot ’ (or the spot where the 
bullet fell), and thence extended to a distance of 
fifty feet, would indicate a definite point — and 
beneath this point I thought it at least possible 
1660 that a deposit of value lay concealed.” 

“All this,” I said, “is exceedingly clear, and, 
although ingenious, still simple and explicit. 
When you left the Bishop’s Hotel, what then?” 

“Why, having carefully taken the bearings of 
1665 the tree, I turned homewards. The instant that 
I left the ‘ Devil’s seat,’ however, the circular rift 
vanished ; nor could I get a glimpse of it after- 
wards, turn as I would. What seems to me the 
chief ingenuity in this whole business, is the fact 
1670 (for repeated experiment has convinced me it is a 
fact) that the circular opening in question is visi- 
ble from no other attainable point of view than 
that afforded by the narrow ledge on the face of 
the rock. 

1675 “ In this expedition to the ‘ Bishop’s Hotel ’ I 

had been attended by Jupiter, who had no doubt 
observed, for some weeks past, the abstraction of 
my demeanor, and took especial care not to leave 
me alone. But on the next day, getting up very 
1680 early, I contrived to give him the fslip, and went 
into the hills in search of the tree. After much 
toil I found it. When I came home at night my 


73 


The Gold Bug 

valet proposed to give me a flogging. With the 
rest of the adventure I believe you are as well 
acquainted as myself.” less 

“ I suppose,” said I, “ you missed the spot in the 
first attempt at digging, through Jupiter’s stu- 
pidity in letting the bug fall through the right 
instead of through the left eye of the skull.” 

“ Precisely. This mistake made a difference of i 69 o 
about two inches and a half in the ' shot ’ — that 
is to say, in the position of the peg nearest the 
tree ; and had the treasure been beneath the ‘ shot,’ 
the error would have been of little moment ; but 
the ‘shot,’ together with the nearest point of theieos 
tree, were merely two points for the establish- 
ment of a line of direction; of course the error, 
however trivial in the beginning, increased as we 
proceeded with the line, and by the time we 
had gone fifty feet, threw us quite off the scent, noo 
But for my deep-seated convictions that treasure 
was here somewhere actually buried, we might 
have had all our labor in vain.” 

“I presume the fancy of the skull — of letting 
fall a bullet through the skull’s eye — was sug-uos 
gested to Kidd by the piratical flag. No doubt 
he felt a kind of poetical consistency in recover- 
ing his money through this ominous insignium.” 

“ Perhaps so ; still, I can not help thinking that 
common sense had quite as much to do with the nio 
matter as poetical consistency. To be visible 
from the Devil’s seat, it was necessary that the 
object, if small, should be white ; and there is 


74 - 


The Gold Bug 


nothing like your human skull for retaining and 
1715 even increasing its whiteness under exposure to 
all vicissitudes of weather.” 

“But your grandiloquence, and your conduct 
in swinging the beetle — how excessively odd ! I 
was sure you were mad. And why did you insist 
1720 upon letting fall the bug, instead of a bullet, from 
the skull?” 

“Why, to be frank, I felt somewhat annoyed 
by your evident suspicions touching my sanity, 
and so resolved to punish you quietly, in my own 
1725 way, by a little bit of sober mystification. For 
this reason I swung the beetle, and for this reason 
I let it fall from the tree. An observation of yours 
about its great weight suggested the latter idea.” 

“Yes, I perceive; and now there is only one 
1730 point which puzzles me. What are we to make 
of the skeletons found in the hole ? ” 

“ That is a question that I am no more able to 
answer than yourself. There seems, however, 
only one plausible way of accounting for them — 
1735 and yet it is dreadful to believe in such atrocity 
as my suggestion would imply. It is clear that 
Kidd — if Kidd indeed secreted this treasure, 
which I doubt not — it is clear that he must have 
had assistance in the labor. But this labor con- 
1740 eluded, he may have thought it expedient to 
remove all participants in his secret. Perhaps a 
couple of blows with a mattock were sufficient, 
while his coadjutors were busy in the pit ; per- 
haps it required a dozen — who shall tell ? ” 



I N 1815, if we could have visited Richmond, 
V^., we should have frequently heard of 
little Edgar Allan, then a boy of six — a slen- 
der though sturdy little lad — with pretty black 
curls and large dreamy eyes. Upon almost any 
summer day we might have seen him riding 
about the streets on his pony or running through 
the parks with his pet dog. And during the 
winter when Mr. and Mrs. Allah frequently enter- 
tained their friends, littlq Edgar was almost inva- 
riably called upon to assisU"" 

A boy of six assist in entertaining a company 
of accomplished and cultured ladies and gentle- 
men? Indeed, the boy might have entertained 
them by the display of several accomplishments, 
for he could read, draw, and dance, but it was his 
declamatory power which most delighted Mr. 


Note : The conflicting opinions upon many points in Poe’s 
' life make rather difficult the task of writing a biography suited to 
sixth-grade students. An exhaustive biography has not been 
attempted ; instead, the events have been chosen either to inter- 
est the students or to show the influences which made Poe the 
man he was. There is much opportunity for the teacher to do 
broad work here. For example, in studying English school-life, 
several classics may be suggested to the students for home read- 
ing, or, if not practicable, the teacher may read selections from 
each. The teacher should herself be thoroughly familiar with 
the complete life of Poe, as she may wish to supplement much 
of the work here given. See also the appended Reading List. 

[7J] 



y6 A Biographical Sketch 

Allan. The words were often difficult and the 
thought beyond his comprehension, yet Edgar 
gave such correct emphasis and such charming 
intonation to his selections that all who heard him 
marveled at his talent. 

Let us look into the room on one of these occa- 
sions. We see the massive furniture relieved by 
handsome silver and beautiful glassware, the 
lighted chandeliers reflecting rainbow hues from 
their numerous glass prisms, and about the long, 
narrow, oak dining table, already cleared of the 
various dinner courses, are seated elegantly 
dressed ladies and gentlemen. 

Little Edgar, richly dressed in a costume that 
accentuates his dark beauty, comes into the room 
and, with serious mien and delightfully well-bred 
ease, goes about the room greeting those of his 
father’s guests whom he already knows. 

At length Mr. Allan lifts him to the polished 
table which is to be his mimic stage. Without 
hesitation or embarrassment Edgar begins his 
little recitation. As he proceeds, many of his 
hearers speculate upon the precocious boy’s future. 
Several of the guests know — what the lad has 
still to learn — that Mr. Allan is his foster-father 
only, and, as they listen to the boy’s marvelous 
inflections and see his graceful gestures, they 
wonder whether he may not have inherited his 
talent from his parents, both of whom were actors, 
and whether he may not some day become a lead- 
ing actor. Some think how fortunate he has been 
to be received into so beautiful a home where 
almost every wish is gratified, while others know 
that no luxury can compensate for his loss of an 
own mother’s love. 

As he concludes his pretty entertainment, he 
eagerly looks about for the compliments certain 


A Biographical Sketch yj 

to be showered upon him. Thus, early taught by 
circumstances to work for applause, it is not a 
matter of wonder that, as he grew older, he cared 
for little in life but praise — praise even to the 
verge of flattery. 

Looking back upon these and following days, 
we cannot help wishing that Edgar had been sent 
— as was his brother William — to his grandfather 
in Baltimore. This grandfather. General David 
Poe, was an ardent patriot, having fought in the 
Revolutionary War, and later in the War of 1812. 
He was highly esteemed for his integrity of char- 
acter as well as for his patriotic spirit. He was 
a strong, decisive man, honest and resolute, effi- 
cient in his discharge of duty, and generous in 
his country’s cause. Had Edgar’s sensitive spirit 
been influenced by such a character, how different 
might have been his life ! 

Edgar’s adoptive parents were very proud of 
the brilliant boy, and showed this pride by injudi- 
ciously indulging, petting, and praising him, until, 
early in life, he acquired an imperious bearing 
that later created for him many enemies. 

Soon after the evening on which Edgar so bril- 
liantly entertained his father’s dinner-guests, Mr. 
Allan was obliged to go to England. He might 
remain for several years, so he disposed of most 
of his household efects, and took with him his 
wife and her sister, as well as his adopted son. 
Edgar’s happiness over the delightful journey 
was vSubdued by the thought of parting with his 
beloved pony and dog. Mr. Allan very thought- 
fully purchased several books for the boy to read 
and study on board ship, since in those days the 
voyage was a long one. 

Upon the arrival of the family in London, 
Edgar was sent to a school in a suburb of the 


y8 A Biographical Sketch 

metropolis, so that he might frequently spend 
some time with his parents. The town — Stoke- 
Newington — in which the Manor House School was 
situated, had many associations which strongly 
appealed to young Edgar’s impressionable nature. 
Here he learned to revere the past — in archi- 
tecture, in history, in literature. The main street, 
shaded by arching elms already old and gnarled, 
had once been a Roman road. Other streets bore 
the names of the sovereigns, Henry and Elizabeth, 
and near them stood the houses of the Earls of 
Percy and Leicester. Here, too, had lived Lord 
Essex, the friend of Shakspere; and, on Satur- 
day afternoons when the boys took their weekly 
walks, Edgar often gazed with awe at the old 
prison with its “thick walls, deep windows and 
doors, massive with locks and bars,” within which 
De Foe had written “Robinson Crusoe.” 

The school itself was “ old and irregular, sloping 
in the rear to the high brick wall, with its ponder- 
ous spiked and iron-studded gates which inclosed 
the playground.” “There, in the long, narrow, 
low school-room, oak-ceiled, gothic-windowed, 
with its irregular black, jack-knife-hewed desks 
and the -sacred corner-boxes for masters and 
ushers,” Edgar Allan “conned his Latin and mis- 
pronounced his French.” 

In his essay entitled “William Wilson,” in 
which are also described the school building and 
grounds, Poe says : 

“But the house! — how quaint an old building 
was this ! to me how veritably a palace of enchant- 
ment ! There was really no end to its windings, 
to its incomprehensible subdivisions. It was diffi- 
cult, at any given time, to say with certainty upon 
which of its two stories one happened to be. From 
each room to every other there were sure to be 


79 


A Biographical Sketch 

found three or four steps either in ascent or de- 
scent. Then the lateral branches were innumer- 
able, inconceivable, and so returning in upon 
themselves that our most exact ideas in regard to 
the whole mansion were not very far different 
from those with which we pondered upon infinity. 
During the five years of my residence here I was 
never able to ascertain with precision in what 
remote locality lay the little sleeping apartment 
assigned to myself and some eighteen or twenty 
other scholars.’’ 

Edgar was here ranked by his teachers as an 
especially clever boy, but one spoiled by “an ex- 
travagant amount of pocket money.’’ 

He was eleven years old when Mr. Allan, hav- 
ing completed his business in London, returned 
with his family to Richmond. Edgar now added 
his real name to that of Mr. Allan, and was hence- 
forth called Edgar Allan Poe. He was sent to 
the famous school of Joseph Clarke, where he 
proved himself to be neither thorough nor stu- 
dious, but so “ quick and brilliant ’’ that he soon 
ranked high in class work. 

Formerly slender, Poe had, through his ath- 
letic sports in England, grown into a tough, 
robust boy, active in all outdoor sports. He was 
accounted a good runner and leaper, a fair boxer, 
and an excellent swimmer. The story of one 
swimming feat is still told. He was fifteen years 
old, when, in a hot June sun, against a very strong 
tide, he swam a distance of six miles in the James 
River and then walked home without showing 
any apparent fatigue. 

While still at Stoke-Newington, Edgar had 
secretly written some little poems, but he openly 
indulged in this recreation at Mr. Clarke’s school 
until he became known among the students as an 


8o 


A Biographical Sketch 

amateur poet of no mean order. He was also 
prominent in the debating society, leading, in 
fact, in whatever line of work he undertook. 

“ But neither his facile scholarship nor his apt- 
ness in quoting Latin hexameters and stringing 
English rhymes, nor his fame in the sports made 
him the favarite of the school. His aristocratic 
mates, it is said by one of themselves, remem- 
bered that he was sprung from the poor actors, 
and were averse to his leadership. Poe, too, 
partly it may be because he was aware of the rea- 
son for this slight but cutting ostracism, helped 
it by a defiant and irritable spirit that sometimes 
broke through the restraint of his well-bred man- 
ners. One who was counted nearer to him than 
the rest described him as ‘self-willed, capricious, 
inclined to be imperious, and though of generous 
impulses, not steadily kind, or even amiable.’ 
The indulgence to which he had been accustomed 
at home with its resulting lawlessness of nature, 
and his marked ability with its attendant intel- 
lectual pride, contributed somewhat to form this 
temper; but he was always reserved, a quality 
especially liable to misconstruction by boys, and 
in his youth, as in later life, he never formed the 
habit — he may not have had the power — of mak- 
ing intimate friends. No one, it would seem, ever 
knew him.” 

The years passed until in February, 1826, Poe 
was admitted as a student in the University of 
Virginia at Charlottesville. “ He was now seven- 
teen years old, somewhat short in stature, thick- 
set, compact, bow-legged, with the rapid and 
jerky gait of an English boy ; his natural shyness 
had become a fixed reserve; his face, clustered 
about by dark curly hair, wore usually a grave 
and melancholy expression, the look that comes 


A Biographical Sketch 8i 

rather from the habit of reverie than any actual 
sadness, but his features would kindle with lively 
animation when, as frequently happened, he grew 
warm in his cause.” “ He was a member of the 
classes in Latin and Greek, French, Spanish, and 
Italian, and attended them regularly ; but being 
facile rather than studious, he did not acquire a 
critical knowledge of these languages.” It is to 
be regretted that he here fell in with a gay set of 
young men who spent much time in gambling. 
Poe contracted debts which Mr. Allan refused to 
pay, and, when at the Christmas vacation, in 1826, 
he came home, Mr. Allan refused to allow his 
return to school although he had won the highest 
honors in Latin and French. Instead, Poe was 
obliged to enter Mr. Allan’s counting-room, but, 
having no taste for such work, and finding the 
confinement absolutely unbearable, he decided 
unaided to seek his fortune in the world of letters. 

The youth who had never been trained to self- 
control or self-denial, was wholly unfit to meet 
life’s hardships which now crowded thick and 
fast upon him. He immediately left Richmond 
for Boston the place of his birth and the city 
which his own mother had dearly loved. He 
prevailed upon a young unknown printer to pub- 
lish a small volume of poems in which he called 
himself “a Bostonian.” He was, however, wholly 
unknown in the city, and the poems not being in 
themselves sufficiently excellent to attract notice, 
there was nothing to create a sale of his book. 
Chagrined by his failure, he suppressed the book, 
and, looking about for some means of livelihood, 
decided to enter upon army life. He enlisted 
under the name of Edgar A. Perry in a company 
that was soon sent from Boston to Charleston, 
S. C., where Poe obtained the accurate knowledge 
0 


82 A Biographical Sketch 

of this locality which he shows in “The Gold 
Bug.” 

Because of good behavior during this service 
Poe was promoted, and also urged by his superior 
officers, who recognized his talents, to try for 
admission to West Point. Through the kindness 
of his foster-father, Mr. Allan, Poe secured the 
desired appointment, but, as one might expect, 
the rigid discipline was especially galling to his 
unbridled nature, and it was not long before he 
deliberately committed offenses which resulted in 
his expulsion. 

Poe had now disgraced Mr. Allan a second 
time and therefore resigned all hope of further 
assistance from him. As he had already made 
the acquaintance of his father’s relatives in Balti- 
more, he now decided to locate there and enter 
upon literary work. He was fortunate in having 
his “A MS. Found in a Bottle” secure the one- 
hundred-dollar prize offered for the best short 
story sent to a newly started paper, the Saturday 
Visitor, but more fortunate in thereby obtaining 
the friendship of Mr. Kennedy, one of the judges. 
Mr. Kennedy gave Poe new clothing, a horse to 
ride, and free access to his table. 

It was during his stay in Baltimore that Poe 
fell in love with his young cousin, Virginia 
Clemm, whom he married when vShe was scarcely 
fourteen years of age. She was very beautiful in 
disposition as well as in face, besides being highly 
accomplished in literature and music. Poe loved 
her very devotedly, feeling keenly all of her suf- 
fering, for, during the short 4®cade that she 
blessed his home, her frail body was often racked 
by the consumptive’s cough. 

Poe was not a business man, and as his periods 
of melancholy, imperiousness, and irritability grew 


A Biographical Sketch 8j 

worse he was unable to retain for any length of 
time either positions or friends. It is true that 
these periods were always followed by waves of 
remorse and self-condemnation, which, however, 
only further weakened him, for lacking the power 
of conquering self, he bemoaned his debility and 
wasted his energies in self-pity. The remainder 
of Poe’s life had little of brightness. The con- 
stant struggle for bread, the frequent rejection of 
his writings, the meager sums paid for those that 
were accepted, the ridicule and unkind criticism 
often bestowed upon his labors, the repeated fail- 
ures through his own frailty of character, to make 
and retain a place in the literary world, are better 
left untold. 

Poe’s contemporaries could not separate the 
man from his work sufficiently to recognize his 
marvelous genius, and it is only after the lapse of 
a half century that the work of this remarkable 
philosopher, poet, and critic is beginning to 
receive its j'ust meed of praise. His mind was 
brilliant, logical, analytical, and artistic. He is 
really the originator of the modern detective and 
puzzle stories. His tales were translated into 
French, and so highly praised that French story- 
writers used them as models. These were then 
translated into English and were so satisfactorily 
received that Conan Doyle and other writers have 
patterned after them. 

Poe’s puzzle stories grew out of his real love 
for solving enigmas. He once wrote an essay for 
a magazine in which he fried to prove that all 
cryptographs were founded upon certain fixed 
laws. At the close of this article he said that he 
thought no one could devise a cipher which he 
could not by patience solve. As a consequence 
hundreds of puzzles were sent him for solution. 


8/f. A Biographical Sketch 

until lie became so burdened that he could not do 
his regular work, and thus lost much money. But, 
as he said himself, if he failed to solve them, he 
would be published as an arrant boaster. He 
therefore solved every one, but wrote to each 
correspondent that he could not take time for 
further work of that sort, and explained the 
reason why. 

Poe did yet more for American literature. He 
invented new principles and artistic methods of 
writing poetry. At first his own poetry was want- 
ing in so many points that his principles were 
greatly ridiculed, but as he wrote more, and 
rewrote many of his poems, he became one of 
America’s finest poets — if not the finest — in 
“conscious art.’’ His poetry is noted for its weird 
and fanciful suggestiveness of things spiritual or 
intellectual, and for the marvelous music of the 
lines. Everyone knows “The Raven’’ and “The 
Bells,” but there are many other poems equally 
enjoyed by students and' older people. 

Poe died when he was only forty years old, 
being unappreciated in America, as shown by 
Lowell, who says in his “ Fable for Critics”: 

“There comes Poe, with his Raven, like Barnaby Rudge, 

Three-fifths of him genius and two-fifths sheer fudge,” 

but considered in France the greatest of Amer- 
ica’s short-story writers, and in England our one 
discerning literary critic. 

To-day America recognizes her brilliant son, 
and separating his erratic temperament from his 
literary work, accords him his proper place among 
those whose names have been registered in that 
hall of fame erected by the growing tastes of men 
and the judgments of history. 



T he day has not only dawned, but is far ad- 
vanced, when every thoughtful teacher studies 
the natural inclinations of her pupils, and, 
while keeping in mind the well-planned curriculum, 
strives to satisfy the children’s interests. 

Especially is this true in reading, where the taste 
changes with succeeding years — with succeeding 
months, indeed — and where the tastes of different 
children are as varied as are the classes of litera- 
ture. 

For several years the editor of this story has 
been studying the varying interests of children, and, 
although the results of her observations may not be 
those reached by others, she ventures to offer her 
views with the following as a basis. 

This study has shown that all modes of thought 
expression are especially entertaining to children in 
their fifth or sixth year of school. Boys exult in 
their slight knowledge of German, French, Spanish, 
and Italian, derived unconsciously from various 
sources. Both boys and girls have often been found 
voluntarily to forego other recreations for the pleas- 
ure of acquiring some familiarity with a foreign 
tongue. These children were also deeply interested 
in Old English, studying out some of the simpler of 
Chaucer’s “ Canterbury Tales ” with as much eager- 
ness as do many adult students. During these 
years, the boys — and often the girls — learn the 
telegraphic code, even setting up and using instru- 
ments in their homes. 

On the street they signal each other by whistling 
[<&] 



86 


Suggestions to Teachers 

from the code, in imitation of Edison, who once used 
a locomotive whistle when a cable was broken. The 
dots and dashes are also used in note and even letter 
writing to one another. 

At this stage of development, too, the child has 
an especial fondness for the extravagant and fan- 
tastic in speech. Every one can easily recall in his 
own experience the Pig Latin, the Dog Latin, the 
Vassar Latin, or the Gibberish in which he reveled 
in his childish days, and which the initiated could 
use and understand as easily as English.* Secret 
languages are even originated for use among an 
'elect few. 

De Quincey agrees in finding the age of twelve 
to fifteen to be the one where this love of secret 
language predominates. See his reference to the 
“ Ziph Language ” (in his autobiography, edited by 
Masson, Chapter VIII., pp. 201-208), used at the 
‘‘Winchester School.”! 

Jean Ingelow, however, has the precocious chil- 
dren in “ Oif the Skelligs ” plan a “ universal lan- 
guage” at the tender ages of six and eight. Their 
learned talk of preterites frightens one tutor so 
greatly that he actually runs away. 

At this time, also, children are found to be inter- 
ested in Aztec, Indian, Egyptian, and Chinese pic- 
ture writing. 

The appearance of the “Youth’s Companion,” 
“ St. Nicholas,” and other similar magazines is 


* In case some teacher cares to make tests, samples of the 
various languages referred to are here given : 

Dog Latin : Doves youves underves standves ? (Do you 
understand ? ) 

Pig Latin : Yesgray, Igray cangray undergray standgray. 
(Yes, I can understand.) 

Vassar Latin : Cue a nun wyno u dud o tut hash i sus ? 
(Can you do this ?) 

Gibberish : Atwha ooda ooya inktha asha appenedha ? 
(What do you think has happened ? ) 

fZiPH ; “ Shagall wege gogo agawagay igin agan hougour? 
(Shall we go away in an hour ?) ” — De Quincey. 


Suggestions to Teachers Sy 

eagerly watched for, so that the puzzles, rebuses, 
etc., may be solved, or the answers to previous ones 
verified. 

Experfments prove that at this period children 
can most readily be taught correct forms of English. 
A class of sixteen was especially tested in this ; and 
a few minutes, daily, given to “criticisms,” developed 
the fact that the pupils were watchful of public 
speakers, of people on the street, of one another, 
and finally, and best of all^ of themselves. By the 
end of the year their English was almost perfect, 
although their vocabularies were limited. 

This study led to the selection of Poe’s “ Gold 
Bug ” as a classic which would meet all of these as 
well as other demands. It contains the following 
valuable features : 

1. It satisfies the desire for “cipher.” 

2. While interesting in content, it is stimulating 
to mental activity. 

3. The plot is simple, and logically developed. 

4. The characters are few. 

5. There is sufficient humor in Jupiter’s conver- 
sation to attract even those children who usually 
show little interest in a reading exercise. 

6. There is opportunity for dramatic talent in 
the dialogue parts. (Cultivation of oral expression.) 

7. Above all, the English is excellent, and the 
vocabulary exceptionally large — two desirable qual- 
ities for children of the age considered. 

These “ Suggestions to the Teacher ” should be 
carefully read before the story is assigned, as some 
of them should precede the use of the book. 

Teachers will naturally do more or less of such 
work as is here suggested, but with no one class, in 
the editor’s opinion, should all the suggestions be 
carried out. Many are given, since different teachers 
require different treatments of a subject in their 
respective schools, and it is hoped that each busy 
teacher who uses this book may find her especial 
needs met in some of the notes. It is understood 


88 Suggestions to Teachers 

that each teacher will do much, little, or nothing, as 
she deems proper. 

Many notes which might have been given the 
pupils are put here because the teacher can tell 
better than children can read an explanation. She 
can intersperse the narrative with questions, thus 
making the subject clearer and broader. 

As many of the suggested experiments and 
explanations may better be done outside the reading 
class, where reading should be paramount, the notes 
have been grouped under different study heads, 
without, however, any thought that by this means a 
complete knowledge of language, arithmetic, or any 
other subject, can be obtained, but simply that in 
these classes much of the work helpful to reading 
may profitably be done. In many cases the note 
suggests a 7nethod of treatment as well as subject- 
matter to be given. In other cases only a hint is 
given. 

The notes are so arranged that if a teacher prefers 
to do all the work in the reading hour she need pay 
no attention to the grouping, but can take the notes 
in the order called forth by the text, doing little or 
much, as before stated. The editor thought, also, of 
those teachers who often wish for material to use 
in “general lessons,” and this work could as well 
be done there as under the different study heads 
given. 

Some of the work should precede the reading, as 
we enjoy best that to which we carry knowledge or, 
as teachers say, “apply the law of apperception.” In 
other cases the delightful feeling that this story has 
given us new thoughts should be fostered by saying, 
for example, after reading Section II. of Part II., 
“Yes. Didn’t you know about invisible writing 
before? Would you like to make some experi- 
ments in it ? ” Then give experiments suggested in 
note II. 

Many methods of beginning the story are possible, 
but as the following proved successful, it alone is 


Suggestions to Teachers 


8g 

given. The editor once introduced this story by 
handing each pupil a hektographed copy of the fol- 
lowing cipher : 

53t:t305))6*;4826)4.)4);8o6^;48t8l6o))85;;]8*;:I* 
8t83(88)5*t;46(;88*96*?;8n(;485);5*t2:4(;4956*2(5* 
—4)81 8*; 4069285 ) ;) 6 t 8 ) 44 ; i (I9 ; 48081 ;8 :8I i ; 48185 ;4) 
485t5288o6^8i(J:9;48;(88;4a?34;48)4l;i6i;:i88;I?; 

She announced that the pupils would soon read a 
story in which a mystery was solved by a man’s 
being able to make words from the signs and figures 
before them. 

The children worked hard at it for a few days, but 
in vain. Then the teacher asked whether they had 
thought to arrange their characters and to count the 
number of each. They did so, producing the chart 
found on page 62. This did not help greatly until 
they were asked what letter predominated in Eng- 
lish. No one knew. How could we find out? “Each 
count the letters on a page in some book and com- 
pare notes ” was suggested. As no other way was 
proposed that day, each child took home his task and 
all reported “ e ” to be used the greatest number of 
times. But one lad, whose father was a newspaper 
editor, had found out that printers could tell not only 
the one letter most used, but knew the relative 
amount of use made of all the letters, and that their 
type cases were arranged to meet this necessity. 

The boys then decided to interview diferent 
printers to see whether all agreed. All did virtu^ly 
agree to the following list, which differs slightly from 
Poe’s : e, n, a, d, o, t, h, s, r, 1 , c, u. Concerning the 
other letters of the alphabet there was no agreement 
save that the arrangement was immaterial. 

In this study the children found that there is a 
real meaning to the term “ lower-case letters,” and 
that typewriting machines have letters of the key- 
board so arranged that those most used can be most 
easily reached. 

We grew so interested in printers’ work that we 


go 


Suggestions to Teachers 


took lip for “general lessons" (continuing them even 
after we began to read “ The Gold Bug") the origin 
of printing, with the inventions of the Chinese, 
Germans, and French ; also the earlier forms of 
writing — the waxed tablets and stylus, parchment 
scrolls, papyrus, etc. In this connection we found 
the biographies of Gutenberg, Caxton, and Franklin 
especially interesting. 

Equally interesting topics, but not touched in the 
lessons described, are : 

1. Manufacture of parchment and vellum. 

2. Manufacture of first paper from papyrus. 

3. Manufacture of paper to-day, including the 
process of making the “water-mark," which always 
attracts children. 

4. The different sorts of paper and how made. 
Uses of each. 

5. Book-making — complete process. 

6. Picture-writing on bricks and stones; on tombs 
of Egyptians ; on wampum belts ; shown in Chinese 
language. 

7. Indian sign languages. 

8. How our English language grew. 

Old English studied. 

Chaucer’s English studied. 

Compare both with English of present day. 

History of England connected therewith. 

The children’s curiosity and interest were not 
satiated by being helped to a solution of the puzzle, 
so they began the reading of the story with a two- 
fold interest, first, in the solution of the cipher, and, 
second, in the mystery which this cipher unraveled. 

GEOGRAPHY. 

I. 10. TraceLegrand’s journey by land from New 
Orleans to Sullivan’s Island, naming important cities 
passed, and reviewing what has been studied of the 
industries of the South and the points of historical 
interest. Or, trace the journey by sea, reviewing 
whatever facts the teacher desires. 


Suggestions to Teachers 


9 ^ 

2. 14-40. Make a map of Sullivan’s Island* and 
vicinity, according to this description. Use scale. 
First collect facts given, viz.: 

Sea sand, hence practically level. 

Three miles long. 

Nowhere over one-fourth of a mile broad. 

Separated from mainland by a scarcely percep- 
tible creek. 

On western end, Fort Moultrie, some old frame 
buildings, and palmetto trees. 

/, On eastern end, Legrand’s hut. 

g^ Sweet myrtle covered all of island - save that 
described in e and a line of beach on the seacoast. 

/^, Charleston nine miles away (see note 3). 

Compare this with a description of the present 
conditions of the island and vicinity. 

MAP STUDY. 

3. 64. In what latitude is Sullivan’s Island ? 
How does the Gulf Stream affect the temperature ? 
Review the lesson on isothermals, tracing the lines 
which connect Charleston with other well-known 
places. What, then, shall we conclude the climate 
of this place to be ? Is Poe correct ? 

4. 363. Mark on map the probable landing place 

of Jupiter and Mr. . 

^ To northward of Fort Moultrie. 

About a mile from west end, as the island was 
three miles long, and, after landing, the two men 
walked two miles to the hut on the eastern end. 

5. 487. Trace on the map at the beginning of 
this volume the route pursued in “ The Expedition,” 
noticing the points of description. 

a. Crossed creek at head of island by a skiff. 

b, Ascended high grounds on shore of mainland. 

Journeyed slightly northwest for two hours 

* The map at the beginning of the story was made in 1900, 
and shows the present form of the island. The sands have 
shifted since Poe was there in 1827, but a dark line, indicating 
a ravine, marks the old shape. 


92 


Suggestions to Teachers 


(hence covered from six to eight miles) ere they en- 
tered the desolate region in which the “ tree ” is found. 

d, The tree reached. 

6. 1336. Locate Golconda. Also regions where 
the different jewels mentioned are abundantly found. 

7. 1581, etc. Compare Legrand’s j ourney in search 
of the tulip tree with the preceding (note 5). What 
did he find which doesn’t appear when all three go ? 
Add to the map the probable locations of Bessop’s 
plantation, manor house, Bessop’s castle, and the tulip 
tree. 

a, Ancient manor house four miles to northward. 

b, Rock found (place not indicated, but probably 
not far away from plantation). 

Devil’s seat discovered. 

1. East face of rock. 

2. One yard below summit. 

j. Seat projected eighteen inches. 

/f.. Seat one foot wide. 

5. Niche in cliff above made back. 

Glass and compass obtained, 

1. Tree located N. E. and by N., 21° 13' 

elevation. 

2. Skull discovered east side of tree. Rift in 

foliage. 

8. 1635. Let children review their knowledge of 
the pocket compass and of the magnetic needle. Let 
them find N. E. and by N. with the compass. 

9. 1640. Here is an opportunity to review, or to 
teach, why the sun’s rays shine first and last upon 
mountain tops. It will also help in the explanations 
of day and night. Let pupils draw a diagram illus- 
trating the rising or setting sun, and showing how 
the first and last rays strike the earth’s surface. 
Illustrate, also, with a candle, and a globe having on 
it some paper hills and mountains. 

HISTORY. 

This may be little or much, as the teacher deems 
advisable. If the pupils are studying this subject, a 


Suggestions to Teachers 


93 


better locality cannot be found for its pursuance 
than old Fort Moultrie — built in 1776, of palmetto 
logs— Forts Wagener, Sumter, etc., all of which 
furnish a wealth of material. 

SCIENCE. 

/. Botany. 

10. 20. The teacher may make a detailed study 
of the vegetation mentioned, namely, the palmetto, 
myrtle, tulip tree, etc. 

II. Physics and Chemistry . 

11. 889. Talk of methods of preserving wood 
from decay. We paint our houses. Fence-makers 
dip their posts into creosote.^ a strong poison. 

Study has shown that “bichloride of mercury” 
does not actually mineralize the wood, as Poe says, 
but it, like creosote, is a powerful poison, and pre- 
serves the wood by making it impervious to the 
germs of decay. Bichloride of mercury is used in 
laboratories to preserve both animal and vegetable 
matter, a few drops only being necessary in a jar 
containing an animal’s heart or lungs. A very tiny 
fraction of a grain of this most powerful poison is 
sufficient to kill a man. 

12. 1135. Some experiments in invisible writing 
may be made, as follows : 

<2, One of the simplest is to write on linen paper 
with a solution of common starch. When dry, it is 
of course invisible. To make it visible, pour over 
the entire paper a very weak solution of iodine in 
water. 

If a laboratory is convenient, secure a small 
quantity each of cobaltous chloride and cobaltous 
nitrate ; dissolve each in water ; use as a writing 
fluid upon any paper, although a paper of either 
red or yellow tint will give the best results. When 
ready to test, apply heat, as did Legrand to his 
parchment, and note results. The cobaltous chloride 


Suggestions to Teachers 

should make an intense blue writing, and the nitrate 
a brown. 

Zaffre^ spelled also zaffer^ and pronounced zaf' fer, 
is an impure oxide of cobalt, hence the above experi- 
ments would be equivalent to testing Poe’s state- 
ment. 

III. Mineralogy. 

13. 981. The study of the appearance, formation, 
preparation, and use of the different jewels men- 
tioned will be found at least interesting. The joy 
expressed by the treasure-seekers in these jewels is 
evidently joy over their beauty. This might lead to 
a study of the symbolism of jewels and their colors, 
and to legends of precious gems. (See the appended 
Reading List.) 

IV. Zoology. 

14. 2. Children are always interested in the 
tarantula., which is frequently brought to us in a 
bunch of bananas. 

15. 1 12. The study of beetles maybe exhaust- 
ive, if the curriculum permits it, as we have at our 
doors so many specimens of the tribe. Jupiter’s un- 
conscious pun upon antennce will help children to fix 
its meaning. 

16. 1082. The glow-worm and its cousin, the fire- 
fly, are best studied in the summer months, so we 
need only mention them here. Show how Legrand’s 
thoughts were glow- worm-like in that, instead of 
being constant, they came by flashes, and were of 
short duration. 


MATHEMATICS. 

I. A rithmetic. 

17. 715. Find area of space cleared at end of 

tape measure, if the diameter was four feet. 

718. Review work in mensuration by letting 
pupils find area of space cleared by Legrand if the 
diameter equaled three yards ; three and a half 
yards ; four yards. 


Suggestions to Teachers pj' 

776. Estimate the cubical contents of the exca- 
vated space, five feet deep and four feet in diameter. 
How many loads of earth might have been hauled 
away? (One cubic yard is called a load.) What 
would it cost to haul it away at 15 cents a load ? 

783. Same for new area and depth, which were 
probably as follows : Diameter 6 feet, depth 7 feet. 

18. 837. It certainly is to be regretted that Poe 

has here made a mathematical error, for much of the 
story's pleasure depends upon his statement that a 
difference of two and a half or three inches in the 
original “ shot ” throws him entirely off the scent. 

Nevertheless it seems wise to let children see the 
error, and while it destroys the illusion created, it 
may make them more critical, and it certainly will 
not leave them with false ideas upon so simple a 
problem in arithmetic. The measurements given 
later are for proof only. It is best to let the children 
make their own measurements by questioning some- 
what after the following manner ; 

Can you tell how long the limb was upon which 
the skull was fastened ? Before to-morrow, measure 
the distance from the trunk of some large tree to a 
spot directly beneath the end of a lai'ge limb, 

After the children have reported, the teacher may 
ask : On which limb was the skull placed ? (Seventh 
from bottom.) Was it then, probably, the longest 
limb on the tree ? About what length could it have 
been? Then how far from the tree did Legrand 
drive the first peg ? How far beyond this peg did he 
measure ? On paper, or on the blackboard, indicate 
the tree, which may have been two feet in diameter. 
Use a scale, and show the tree, the first peg 10 feet 
away, and the second peg 50 feet beyond the first 
one. About the last peg describe a circle 4 feet in 
diameter, or, with what radius? With the same 
center describe a second circle 6 feet in diameter to 
represent the enlarged limit. Now, as Legrand did, 
move the first peg 3 inches to the west and repeat 
the original measurements. At the end of this 


g 6 Suggestions to Teachers 

second line, describe a circle 6 feet in diameter, as 
Poe says they made this somewhat larger than the 
first. 

What is true of the circles? What is true of the 
ends of the two lines? Are they “several yards 
apart,’' as Poe states? Can we prove this in any 
other way? Yes, by simple proportion. The sides 
of these two triangles are coincident, so they are 
similar triangles, and we have the proportion, 

^lo ft. : 6o ft. : : 3 in. : 18 in. 

Therefore, the right spot would have been found 
even if the radius of the first circle had been but 
two feet ; much more surely, then, when the space 
was enlarged, previously to giving up hope and 
starting for home. 

We could defend it in only one way, namely, that 
the chest was found on the very outer edge of the 
larger circle, in which case it might have been missed 
in the first digging. However, this is improbable, as 
the cipher indicated a definite spot, with no direction 
for excavating a circular space. 

19. 892. Find the cubical contents of the chest, 
3% feet long, 3 feet wide, and 2)4 feet deep. About 
what would the contents weigh if the specific gravity 
were 19 ? 

20. 974. If money tables have been studied, let 
children name the gold coins of each country men- 
tioned, with the relative value in United States 
money. 

The English guinea is an old coin equal to 21 
shillings instead of 20, the value of its present sub- 
stitute, the sovereign, or pound. 

//. Astrofiomy. 

21. 1636. Explain to children that the observer’s 
body and a line from his . feet to the horizon form a 
right angle. That a telescope directed to a point half 
way between the zenith and the above mentioned 
point in the horizon would form an angle of 45° with 


97 


Suggestions to Teachers 

the horizon line. * Indicate the position for 22 It, 
therefore, would not be difficult to guess at 21° 13' of 
elevation. Have the children draw a diagram to 
indicate this. 

Now try looking at several trees in the distance. 
At what angle do you see the seventh limb ? [We 
know the distance to be great, else a “good glass” 
(a strong telescope) would not have been necessary.] 

DRAWING. 

There is opportunity for many schoolroom lessons 
in drawing and in some manual-training work at 
home. 

22. The terms cylinder (564), diameter (719), and 
diagonally (1249) are examples. 

23. Illustrate in any convenient medium (clay, 
brush and 'ink, water-colors, charcoal, pencil, or 
crayon) the various scenes described. 

24. Draw the treasure-box, making it correct in 
proportion, and showing the lattice of iron-work, as 
well as the six iron rings in the lid. For home work 
induce the children to model a small box of correct 
proportions, using tin for the iron-work and for the 
six rings. 

25. Study Egyptian art, showing the scarabaeus, 
the emblem of life and resurrection. 

26. 108. Draw or paint a picture of the beetle as 
you imagine it from Legrand’s description. 

LANGUAGE. 

The story is an excellent one for the study of the 
noun in apposition, and the punctuation of the same. 

Information lessons upon any of the topics sug- 
gested by the story, or by the notes, may be made 
the basis of composition work. 

27. 306. a^ Copy Legrand’s letter to his friend, 
studying the form and punctuation. 

b, Study this letter as to thought. Why did Mr. 
worry over it ? In what was the letter peculiar ? 

• 7 


<^8 Suggestions to Teachers 

( I ) Shows carelessness, (2) questions Mr. ’s ab- 

sence, (g ) says he has something to tell, but wanders 
from subject and chats about Jupiter’s intention of 
flogging him, (4.) next talks of “ business of impor- 
tance^" when he was a man of no business, (^) Anally 
shows great anxiety to see Mr. . 

How much of this letter was really necessary? 
(Last paragraph only.) 

28. 313, 317. Study, in this connection, the uses 
of should^ would^ and could^ always a difficult point. 

29. 499. Let children reproduce the description 
of this wild region. Study “description” in lan- 
guage. See whether Poe meets the requirements. 

30. 521, etc. Continue study of description and 
let children describe Jupiter’s person by means of 
points incidentally given in story. 

Negro. 

b. Old man. 

c^ Squat figure. 

d, Naked toes. 

Sleeves rolled up or gone — “naked arms buried 
in gold.’’ 

/, One suspender used for dog. 

31. Poe thoroughly understood the character of 
a Southern negro, so that a detailed study of Jupiter, 
as here represented, will help to an appreciation of 
all Southern stories in which the “ old-time darky ” 
figures. (See the appended Reading List.) 

85, 86. Hospitable. “Grinning from 'ear to ear’’ ; 
“bustled about to prepare the supper.” The South- 
erners are noted for hospitality, and their retainers 
imbibe the same spirit. A guest is more than wel- 
come. Most darkies make good cooks, even when 
previously trained for other service. Jupiter is cook, 
valet, butler, and confidential servant in one, 

1 13. He listens to the conversation, and even 
interrupts to give his own opinions. This freedom 
is excusable when we think how much Jupiter is 
alone with Legrand — his sole companion in conver- 
sation. 


Suggestions to Teachers 


99 


248. Negroes are natural imitators. In speaking 
of his master’s looks, he doesn’t describe; he acts^ 
“dis here way.” 

260. Being an old man, and having known 
'‘Massa Will” as a child, Jupiter assumes parental 
authority, which, as Legrand later says — in the 
letter — is “well-meant.” Notice, however, that the 
severity all disappears at sight of Legrand’s pale face. 

301. The negro’s humor is unconscious, but nev- 
ertheless enjoyable. When he cannot understand 
the gentleman’s long speech, he pretends to think 
him ill or temporarily demented. 

304. It is like an easy-going darky to talk upon 
many unrelated topics and waste much precious time 
before reaching the important part of his errand, 
namely, the delivery of the letter. We see again 
the ante-bellum days when time was not so carefully 
counted as it is to-day. 

392. Jupiter does not mean to be impertinent, 
though his words sound so, when he refuses to touch 
the bug. He, like all of his race, is superstitious, and 
fully believes the bug to have bitten Legrand and 
produced insanity. He therefore does not wish to 
touch it. 

461. Negroes, born and reared in a hot climate, 
are not naturally energetic, therefore Jupiter’s insist- 
ence upon carrying the tools caused Mr. to 

study him. He thinks Jupiter is afraid to trust Le- 
grand with the tools, and thus Mr. is confirmed 

in his opinion of Legrand’s insanity. 

525. Cautious : Would express no opinion about 
the tree until carefully inspected. Then boastful : 
“ Could climb any tree he ebber see in he life.” 

538. Superstitious: Still afraid of bug, but will 
not admit it; says he was only “funnin,” and yet 
carries bug as far from his person as possible. 

730. Loyal to master despite his own seeming 
impertinence and presumption. Mr. — y knows that 
Jupiter would never unite with him against Legrand, 
even for Legrand’s good. Contrast with note 392. 
LofC.^ 


100 Suggestions to Teachers 

800. Fear of master exaggerated when the serv- 
ant does not know cause for Legrand's disapproval. 

923. Enjoyment of wealth. And yet the faithful 
servant cared about it more for his master’s sake 
than for its intrinsic value. Negroes love to belong 
to “well-to-do massas.” How Jupiter exaggerates 
his offense to the gold bug and how dramatic he is 
in his apology ! 

32. 1422. Make as long a list as possible of words 
containing ee. 

WORD STUDY AND SPELLING. 

No better story than “The Gold Bug ’’can any- 
where be found from which to select words for spell- 
ing, for dictionary lessons, or for word study. 

READING. 

Under this head are grouped those topics which 
are essential in bringing about the best reading, yet 
cannot well be given elsewhere than in the reading 
class. 

Teachers of fifth grade, or higher, should not fail 
to own Prof. S. H. Clark’s “ How to Teach Reading,” 
as it gives teachers the standards of criticism, which 
all desire, as well as excellent methods of work. 

33. 248. Here is an opportunity for dramatic 
reading, as the child imitates J upiter’s representation 
of his master with head down, shoulders up, and an 
absent look upon his face. This entire conversation 
could profitably be committed to memory and given 
as dialogue by several pairs of children. 

34. 446. Ask children : “ How much of this 

paragraph is said aloud ? What words are said as an 
aside ? How do you know ? Read it so.” 

35* 536* Do you think Legrand had only that 

moment thought of having Jupiter take the bug? 
Why did [he not tell Jupiter before? Why did he 
say it so carelessly ? Compare this seeming indiffer- 
ence with his statement in the last paragraphs of the 
story. 


lOI 


Suggestions to Teachers 


36. 140, 762, 868. Wolf’s delight in seeing Mr. 
, and his evident interest in the search for treas- 
ure, turn the reader’s thoughts towards stories of 
dogs and their intelligence. (See Reading List.) 

37. 804-5-6. These dashes indicate threats which 
Legrand makes to Jupiter, but, as they are silent 
threats, to be effective the reader must put himself 
into Legrand’s mood of intense excitement and 
nervous fear for the failure of his plan. Then, by 
significant looks and appropriate gestures, the un- 
voiced threat will be as strong as any words could 
make it. 

38. 1510. To save the teacher time, a complete 
list of the figures used in the cipher, and their equiv- 
alents, is here given. The children may be asked to 
make such a list : 


5 represents a 

2 “ b 

— “ c 

t “ d 

8 “ e 

I ■ “ f 

3 “ g 

4 “ h 

6 “ i 

o “ 1 

9 “ m 


* represents n 
t ' o 

p 

( “ r 

) “ s 

; “ t 

? “ u 

1 “ V 

] “ w 

: “ y 


The letters j, k, q, x, and z do not occur in the 
cipher. 

39. 1741. Although these last paragraphs suggest 
such an atrocious deed, the teacher may show her 
students that this evil man was duly punished for 
his deed of violence and treachery in the loss of his 
hoarded treasure. 

40. 1380, 1508. The teacher should not fail to 
emphasize the fact that the intellectual interest 
shown in studying out the cryptograph, and in seek- 
ing and finding the treasure, is so much greater than 
the delight in the treasure itself. 


102 


Suggestions to Teachers 

She might also point out the absence of all jealous 
strife as to the division of the spoils — one of the 
finer features of the story. 

As an antidote to any gold-craving influences 
which the story might arouse, the children could 
next read “The Golden Touch,” by Hawthorne, or 
hear read some poems on contentment. Eugene 
Field gives one, and there is that beautiful song of 
Thomas Dekker’s, “O Sweet Content” : 

O SWEET CONTENT ! 

“Art thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers? 

O sweet content ! 

Art thou rich, yet is thy mind perplex’d? 

O punishment ! 

Dost thou laugh to see how fools are vex’d 

To add to golden numbers, golden numbers? 

O sweet content ! O sweet, O sweet content ! 

Work apace, apace, apace, apace ; 

Honest labour bears a lovely face ; 

Then hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny ! 

‘ ‘ Canst drink the waters of the crisped spring ? 

O sweet content ! 

Swimm’st thou in wealth, yet sink’st in thine own tears? 

O punishment ! 

Then he that patiently want’s burden bears ' 

No burden bears, but is a king, a king ! 

O sweet content ! O sweet, O sweet content ! * 

Work apace, apace, apace, apace ; 

Honest labour bears a lovely face ; 

' Then hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny ! ” 




( The numbers refer to lines in the text.) 

All words that can be found in Webster’s Aca- 
demic Dictionary have been left undefined. 

3. All in the Wrong is the name of a comedy, 
written by Arthur Murphy, an Irish playwright of 
good standing, born in 1727, died in 1805. 

7. The Huguenots (hu' ge nots) were French 
Protestants who settled in New York, Virginia, 
South Carolina, etc. The name was first used in 
1560, as a political nickname. In this connection 
read “ The Battle of Ivry,” by Macaulay. 

20. This allusion to the marsh-hen might lead to 
the reading of selections, at least, from Sidney 
Lanier’s “The Marshes of Glynn,” especially the 
following lines, which children could memorize ; 

‘ ‘ As the marsh-hen secretly builds on the watery sod, 

Behold I will build me a nest on the greatness of God : 

I will fly in the greatness of God as the marsh-hen flies 

In the freedom that fills all the space ’twixt the marsh 
and the skies 

27. The palmetto is a tree varying from twenty 
to thirty-five feet in height, and abounding along 
the southeastern coast of the United States. South 
Carolina, the “ Palmetto State,” has the palmetto 
represented on her flag and seal. 

31. The myrtle is a bush or small tree with shin- 
ing evergreen leaves and fragrant white flowers. It 
is common in Southern Europe. 

5 1 . Jan Swammerddmm was a Dutch naturalist, 
especially noted for his knowledge of anatomy and 
entomology. He was born in 1637, and died in 1680. 

[ 103 ] 




Notes 


104. 

92. Scarabceus (scar' a b<3:e' us), plural, scarabcei 
(scar' a b^e' i), is a Latin name for one genus of beetle. 
Scarabceus caput hominis (cap' ut hbm' I ms), the name 
of the species, means beetle with the head of man. 

Egyptian art shows the scarab in many forms, as 
the beetle was there worshiped as the symbol of 
resurrection and life. 

249. Soldiers=s\iovldiQrs. Gose^ghost. 

252. Syphon — ciphering. 

255. Noovers=m.2inQViYers. 

304. epistle. 

309. Brusquerie (brus' ke re) is a French word 
for bruskness or abruptness. 

368. Empressenient (on pres' mon) is a French 
word for eagerness or cordiality. 

391. Legrand speaks of the gold of which the 
bug is an index^ or a pointer. Again, he says the 
bug is the index to his fortune, causing his friend to 
think him insane. An index is something zvhich 
shows or pomts out. 

413. Legrand persists in his superstitious belief 
that the bug is sent to further the views- of Fate. 
This last word is usually found in the plural, as there 
were thought to be three Fates who ruled one’s 
life. They are frequently called the “ Destinies ” or 
“Parcse.” One held the spindle, distaff, or “rocke” 
(Spenser). One spun out the thread of life ; and the 
third, with enormous scissors, cut the thread at life’s 
end. 

In his “Fairie Queen,” Spenser vividly portrays 
the sisters, their abode, and their work. See Book 
IV., Canto II., last eight stanzas, of which the follow- 
ing is a part : 

‘ ‘ There she them found all sitting round about, 

The direfull distaffe standing in the mid, 

And with unwearied fingers drawing out 
The lines of life, from living knowledge hid. 

Sad Clotho held the rocke, the whiles the thrid \ 

By griesly Lachesis was spun with paine. 

That cruell Atropos eftsoones undid. 

With cursed knife cutting the twist in twaine.” 


Notes 


105 

This subject should not be left without a thor- 
ough study of Michael Angelo’s famous picture of 
“ The' Fates,” as well as the more modern one by 
Thumann. 

515. The tulip tree^ scientifically called Lirioden- 
dron tulipifera^ belongs to the magnolia family, and 
truly answers to Poe’s description of it. The flower 
looks like a yellow tulip, and the bright green leaf is 
peculiarly emarginate, or refuse, at the apex. Con- 
trast this tree — with a skull upon its branches, 
yarding the secret of ill-go tton treasure — and that 
immortal ash tree, beloved of the gods. 

972. Tables of the period refers to tables, found in 
most older arithmetics, showing equivalent money- 
values in coins of various countries. 

998. Bacchanaliaji figures were dancing men and 
women. Bacchus^ the Roman god of wine, was 
yearly given a festival, called the Bacchanaly at which 
drinking and dancing were freely indulged in. A 
punch-bowl is suitably decorated with these figures. 

1040. Parclunent is the skin of either sheep or 
goats, prepared for use chiefly as writing material. 
The skin is first soaked in lime water to remove the 
hair. It is then shaved, washed, dried, stretched, 
and smoothed with chalk and pumice stone. Vellum 
is a fine parchment made from the skins of calves, 
kids, or lambs. 

1245. Captain William Kiddy a notorious pirate, 
was hanged in London in 1701. A portion of the 
treasure which he stole is supposed to have been 
buried on Gardiner’s Island, New York, but no part 
of it has ever been unearthed. 

1290-1300. This is the only complicated sentence 
in the story, and, that the thought may be better 
understood, it has been divided into sections. 

1336. Golconda (gol con' da), a city (and formerly 
the capital) of India, is noted for its fort, its mauso- 
leums of ancient kings, and for the diamonds which 
were cut and polished there. See “ The Boy Mineral 
Collectors” {Kelley)y especially Chapter XIX. 



1. For Poe’s Biography. 

1. Woodberry’s “ Life of Poe ” in “American Men 

of Letters’’ series. 

2. Higginson’s “Short Studies of American 

Authors.” 

3. Poe Letters in New York, Cent. 26:854. 

Poe Letters in the South, Cent. 26:572. 

Poe Letters in Philadelphia, Cent. 26:725. 

4. Poe’s Opinion of the Raven, Forum 22:731. 

5. Legendary Years of Poe, Atlantic 54:814. 

Life in English Schools. 

6. Poe’s “ William Wilson.” 

7 Hughes’ “ Tom Brown’s School Days.” 

8. Dickens’ “ Nicholas Nickleby.” 

9. De Quincey’s “Works,” edited by Masson, 


Bibliographical Note. — “The Gold Bug” was written at 
Philadelphia in 1842, and sold the following year to George 
R. Graham for $52, for publication in Graha?n's Magazine. 
Mr. Graham, however, did not like it, and by exchanging some 
critical articles for it Poe received back the MS. and submitted 
it to judges of a $100 prize story competition offered by The 
Dollar Newspaper, which was edited by N. P. Willis and 
Joseph Sailer. “ The Gold Bug ” received the award, and was 
published in two parts; the first part June 22, 1843, and the 
second part (together with the first) June 29, 1843. On July 7, 
1843, it was published again with other prize tales as a supple- 
ment to this newspaper. The first appearance in book form 
was in “Tales, by Edgar A. Poe,” New York; Wiley and 
Putnam, 1845 ; and later in the first collective edition, “ Poe’s 
Works,” with a memoir by R. W. Griswold, and notices by N. 
P. Willis and J. R. Lowell, New York, 1850. 

[/06] 



A Reading List 


loy 

Autobiography, Vol. I., Chapter VIII. (“The 
Nation of London ”), p. 201 — “fagging." 

10. Kipling’s “ Stalky & Co." 

Life in AiJterican Schools. 

11. Holland’s “ Arthur Bonnicastle." 

12. Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney’s “ Boys at Chequasset." 

13. Phelps’ “ Gypsy’s Sowing and Reaping." 

14. Phelps’ “Donald Marcy.” 

15* Eggleston’s “ Hoosier School Boy." 

Italimi School Life. 

16. “ Cuore," by De Amicis. 

11. Treasure Stories. 

(Some are introduced to show that treasure is not 
of one kind only. See 7, 12, and 13, for 
example.) 

1. “ Treasure Island." Stevenson. 

2. “Treasure of Franchard.” Stevenson. 

3. “ Merry Men." Stevenson. 

4. “ Nellie’s Silver Mine." H. H. Jackson. 

5. “Westward Ho." Kingsley. 

6. “Peter Goldthwaite’s Treasure." Hawthorne. 

7. “The Black Tulip," by Dumas, adapted to 

children’s reading by Peter Parley (Good- 
rich), in an old book called “Parley’s 
Present." 

8. Tales from the “Arabian Nights Entertain- 

ment" by Horace E. Scudder in “The 
Children’s Book." (Especially “Aladdin," 
“ Ali Baba," etc.) 

“ Search for the Golden Fleece,” etc., in — 

a, Kingsley’s “Greek Heroes." 

b, Francellon’s “Gods and Heroes." 
Church’s “ Stories of the Old World." 

<2^, Scudder’s “ The Children’s Book.” 
e. Lamb’s “ Tales of Ulysses ’’ in “ Heart of 
Oak," Vol. III., by Norton. 

/, Lowell’s “Jason’s Quest." 

10. “Queen Hildegarde." Richards. 


io 8 


A Reading List 


11. “Alhambra.” Irving. 

12. “ King of the Golden River.” Ruskin. 

13. “Picciola.” Santaine. . 

14. Aztec Treasure House.” Janvier. 

15. “ Search for the Silver City.” Otis. 

16. “ Big Horn Treasure.” Cargill. 

17. “ Captain Bayley’s Heir.” Henty. 

18. “Golden Days of ’49.” Munroe. 

19. “Lost Gold of the Montezumas.” Stoddard. 

20. “ Real Gold.” Fenn. 

III. Piracy. 

1. “ Capt. Wm. Kidd.” J. S. C. Abbot. 

2. “ A Study in Piracy ” (humorous). Daskam in 

McClure's Magazine for April, 1901. 

3. “ Iron Pirate.” Pemberton. 

4. Buccaneers and Pirates of Our Coast.” Stock- 

ton. 

5. “Darien: or Merchant Prince.” Warburton. 

6. “ Pirate City.” Ballantyne. 

IV. Gems or Jewels. 

1. “Stories of Famous Precious Stones.” Orpen. 

2. “The Boy Mineral Collectors.” (Especially 

Chaps. XIV. and XIX.) Kelley. 

3. “ The Luminous Carbuncle.” Gesta Roman- 

orum. (Tale 107.) 

4. “ Ring of Polycrates.” Schiller. 

5. “ The Moonstone.” Collins. 

6. “The Great Carbuncle.” Hawthorne. 

7. “The Great Hoggarty Diamond.” Thackeray. 

8. “Jewel Mysteries I Have Known.” Pemberton. 

9. “Jewel of Ynns Galon.” Rhoscomil. 

10. “One Thousand .Leagues Under the Sea.” 

Verne. 

V. Detective Stories. 

These should first be read by the teacher, and 
selections read to the students, or, at least, 
only such parts recommended that will in 
no case increase the nervousness of a child. 


A Reading List 


10 ^ 


1. “ The Sign of the Four.” Doyle. 

2. “ The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.” Doyle. 

3. Short stories on this order by Gaboriau, A. K. 

Green, Hawthorne, Reade, Poe (“Murders 
of the Rue Morgue,” for example), De 
Quincey (“ The Avenger,” for example). 

4. “The Unfathomable Mystery.” Thompson^ 

in “ Centeola.” 


VI. References for Cryptography. 

1. “The Giant Raft,” Part II. Verne. 

2. “The Cryptogram.” De Mille. 

3. “ The Great Cryptogram.” Donnelly. 

4. “ Cryptography.” Poe. 


VII. Picture Writing. 

1. Chinese —“ The Middle Kingdom,” Vol. I., 

Chap. X. ; Williams. Ladies' Home Journal^ 
Oct., 1900. 

2. Egyptian — “History of Herodotus,” Vol. II., 

Chap. V.; Rawlinson. “Egypt, Past and 
Present ” ; Adams. 

3. Aztec — “ The Aztecs, Their History, Manners, 

and Customs.” Biart. 

, 4. Indian — “ Tracts for Archaeologists (Reprints 

from Various Periodicals)” ; Lewis. “Pic- 
ture Writing of the American Indians ” ; 
Mallery. “ Prehistoric Races of the U. S. 
of America”; Foster. 

5. General — “The Story of the Alphabet” (ex- 
cellent) ; Clodd. “A History of the World 
— Earliest Peoples”; Ragozin. “Origin 
of Civilization ” ; Lubbock. 


VIII. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 
5 - 


Dog Stories. 

“ A Dog of Flanders.” Ouida. 

“ Rab and His Friends.” Brown. 
“ Beautiful Joe.” Saunders. 

“ Loveliness.” Phelps. 

“ Bobtail Dixie.” Nora Smith. 


no 


A Reading List 

6. Two dog stories in “Wild Animals I Have 
Known.” Ernest Seton Thompson. 

7. “Diomed.” John Sergeant Wise. 

8. “Jerry the Blunderer.” Wesselhoeft. 

9. “ Old Sultan’s Thanksgiving. Wesselhoeft. 

10. “Dorothy and Her Dog.” Wesselhoeft. 

11. “A Dog’s Mission.” Stowe. 

12. “ Black Poodle.” Anstey. 

13. “Don, the Story of a Greedy Dog.” Anstey. 

14. “Llewellyn and His Dog.” Southey. 

This same story may be found in prose in — 
a, “ Curious Myths of the Middle Ages.” 

Baring Gould (Dog Gellert). 
d, “Gesta Romanorum.” Tale 26. 

15. “TwaDogs.” Burns. 

16. “Bruno.” Dewey. 

17. “ Captain Fritz.” Miller. 

18. “ Under the Lilacs.” Alcott. 

19. “Vic, the Autobiography of a Scotch Ter- 

rier.” March. 

20. “Rob, Son of Battle.” Ollivant. 

21. “The Animal Story Book Reader” (after 

Dumas). Lang. 

22. “ Anecdotes of Dogs.” Jesse. 

23. “Cats, Dogs, and Other Friends.” Johonnot. 

24. “ Our Home Pets.” Miller. 

25. “ Friends and Helpers.” Eddy. 

26. Stories of dogs in connection with “ Ulysses 

Lamb. “ Childe Harold ” ; Byron. “ Rip 
Van Winkle ” ; Irving. “ Waverly Novels ” ; 
Scott. Biography of Scott. Biography of 
Landseer. Monks of St. Bernard. 

IX. Showing Negro Fidelity, Courage, etc. 

1. “ The Black Regiment ” (poem). Boker. 

2. “ Ready ” (poem). Phoebe Carey. 

3. “ How He Saved St. Michael’s” (poem). Stans- 
bury. 

“ Phut White ” in “A Brave Baby.” Wiltse. 


4. 


Ill 


A Reading List 

5. “An Easter Story" in “A Brave Baby." 

Wiltse. 

6. “ Toussaint L’Ouverture." Wendell Phillips. 

7. “Toussaint L’Ouverture." Whittier. 

8. “ Poems on Slavery." Longfellow. 

9. “Voices of Freedom." Whittier. 

10. Authors, most of whose works portray the 
devotion of negroes, after freedom, to their 
former owners, or the attractive features 
of negro character in general — 

Thomas Nelson Page. 

Ruth McEnery Stuart. 

James Lane Allen. 

Joel Chandler Harris (“ Uncle Remus"). 
e, Charles Egbert Craddock, 
y, George W. Cable. 

F. Hopkinson Smith (“ Colonel Carter of 
Cartersville "). 

X. Additional Authors. 

To be connected with Poe, or to be read to illus- 
trate some point suggested by the story. 

1. Poems by Timrod. (Born in Charleston.) 

2. Poems by Haynes (father and son). (Born in 

Charleston.) 

3. Poems by Sidney Lanier, especially “ Marshes 

of Glynn." 



A New Series of Supplementary Readers 


For All Grades 



Classics 


Edited under the general supervision of 
KATHARINE LEE BATES 
Professor of English Literature in Wellesley College 


THE STORY OF THE CANTERBURY PILGRIMS. Retold by Katharine 
Lee Bates, Professor of English Literature in Wellesley College. Illus- 
trated. (Nearly ready.) 

RAB AND HIS FRIENDS: AND OTHER DOG STORIES, by Dr. John 
Brown. Edited by C. W. French, Principal of the Hyde Park High School., 
Chicago. Illustrated with a portrait of Doctor Brown, 6 full-page and i6 
text drawings by Angus MacDonall, and 5 reproductions of original 
sketches by the author. Cloth, 152 pages. For introduction, cents. 

THE GOLD BUG, by Edgar Allan Poe. Edited by Theda Gildemeister, 
Training Teacher in the State Normal School., Winona, Minn. Illus- 
trated with the Zolnay bust of Poe as frontispiece, a map of Sullivan’s 
Island, and 6 full-page drawings by G. C. Widney. Cloth, 112 pages. 
For introduction, cents. 

THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH, by Charles Dickens. Edited by 
George B. Aiton, State Inspector of High Schools for Minnesota. Illus- 
trated with a frontispiece portrait of Dickens, and 7 full-page drawings 
by G. C. Widney. Cloth. 

THE KING OF THE GOLDEN RIVER, by John Ruskin. Edited by 
Katharine Lee Bates, Professor of English Literature m Wellesley Col- 
lege. Illustrated with a frontispiece portrait of Ruskin, and full-page 
drawings in the text. Cloth. 

THE DOG OF FLANDERS, by Louise de la Ramee. Edited by Rose 
Swart, Supervisor of Methods in the State Normal School, Oshkosh, Wis. 
Illustrated with a frontispiece portrait of the author, and 19 drawings by 
Angus MacDonall. Cloth. 

THE STORY OF A SHORT LIFE, by Julia H. Ewing. Edited by Sarah E. 
Brooks, Supervisor of Primary Schools, St. Paul, Minn. Illustrated with 
a frontispiece portrait of Mrs. Ewing, and drawings in the text. Cloth. 

THE LADY OF THE LAKE, by Sir Walter Scott. Edited by F. A. 
Barbour, Professor of English in the State Normal College, Ypsilanti, 
Mich. Illustrated with a frontispiece portrait of Scott, and drawings 
in the text. Cloth. 

THE CHRISTMAS CAROL, by Charles Dickens. Edited by Katherine 
Gill, Instructor in English in the State Normal School, Charleston, III. 
Illustrated with a frontispiece portrait of Dickens, and drawings in 
the text. Cloth. 

May we give you information about other volumes in preparation ? 


RAND, McNALLY & COMPANY 


Chicago 


New York 


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